270 LON 
try, the foreign ambafladors, the French princes and no¬ 
bility, and other diltinguillled foreigners.—The doors of 
Carlton-houfe, and the other avenues of admilfion, were 
opened at nine o’clock to the company. Thofe who went 
in carriages were admitted under the grand portico ; thofe 
in fedans at a private entrance at the eaft end of the co¬ 
lonnade. The minillers and houfehold of the regent en¬ 
tered at the weft door of the palace, in the inner court-yard. 
The ftate-rooms on the principal floor were thrown open 
for the reception of the company, wherein the furniture 
was difplayed in all its varied magnificence. The com¬ 
pany defeended the great ftaircafe from the inner hall to 
the range of apartments on the level of the garden. The 
whole of this long range, comprehending the library, and 
the beautiful confervatory at the weft end, with the in¬ 
tervening apartments, was allotted to the fupper-tables of 
the prince-regent, the royal dukes, the chief of the no¬ 
bility, and the mod illultrious of the foreign vifitors. 
It was totally impoflible, capacious as the manfion of 
the prince is, to accommodate fuch a number of perfons 
in the rooms of the manfion itfelf. From the central 
apartment of the lower range, which we have mentioned, 
on the fouth or garden-front, proceeded a broad and lofty 
W’alk, towards the fouthern wall of the garden, adjoining 
St. James’s Park, which was crofied by three fimilar walks, 
from eaft to weft, lengthwife in the garden. All thefe 
walks were clofed in by walls, and covered by awnings 
made for the occafion. In each of thefe crofs-walks were 
placed long fupper-tables, and at the end of each walk 
were communications to circular marquees, in which were 
tables containing all the neceflary refrelhments for the com¬ 
pany, with fpace for the numerous fervants and afliftants 
In'attendance. The great walk from the houfe fouth ward 
liad in it fix tables, leaving thofe fpaces quite open where 
the other walks crofied it. The intermediate fpaces be¬ 
tween thefe were lawns, which communicated to the walks 
by fuitable openings. The interior fides of the walls of 
all thefe grand walks were lined with feftoons of flowers, 
yielding the molt odoriferous perfumes, and relieved by 
the verdant and fofter beauties that more towering plants 
and flirubs could bellow. The arched roofs were orna¬ 
mented in the livelieft manner, and from them were fuf- 
pended thoufands of lights, in all the different forms and 
fnfhions by which illumination can he produced. The 
coup d'ccil of the whole, efpecially from the central fouth 
entrance to the garden, was inexpreflibly delightful, and 
even magically impreflive. The entrance was under an 
illuminated arch; and the fouthern end of the walk was 
filled by an immenfe mirror, and ornamented at the top 
and fides with a fuperb drapery, and with artificial flow¬ 
ers and coftly candelabres; particularly the long range of 
iupper-rooms on the garden level, at the head of which 
the regent fat, at the weft end of the confervatory, in- 
fpired the bigheft ideas of regal magnificence. This range, 
beginning from the eaft end, comprifed the new Gothic 
rooms, not then entirely finiftied, but temporarily hung 
with crimfon, and the library beautifully ornamented 
with marbles. In thefe apartments there were two rows 
of tables, elegantly adorned. The centre-room was left 
open. To the welt, the eating-room, See. and the con¬ 
fervatory, had one long table running through both. The 
appearance of the confervatory was truly linking and bril¬ 
liant. The architeflure of it is of the mod delicate Go¬ 
thic. The upper end was a kind of circular buffet, fur- 
inounted by a medallion, with the initials G. P. R. lined 
with feftoons and antique draperies of pink and filver, and 
partly filled with mirrors, before which, on ornamented 
Ihetves, Hood a variety of vafes, candlefticks. See. of the 
moft gorgeous gold plate. Supplied, as indeed all the tables 
were, with every attainable delicacy and luxury, which 
wealth aud rank could command, or ingenuity could fug- 
gefl, and embellifhed by all the art and fkill of the con¬ 
fectioner with emblematical devices of every conceivable 
appropriate defeription, this table difplayed a Hill more 
fplendid exuberance. In the front of the regent’s feat 
DON. 
there was a circular bafon of water, with an enriched 
temple in the centre of it, from whence there was 3 mean¬ 
dering ft ream to the bottom of the table, between the 
guefls, bordered with green banks. Three or four fan- 
taflic bridges were thrown over it; one of them with a 
final 1 tower upon it, which gave the little ltream a pic- 
turefque appearance. It contained alfo a number of gold 
and filver filh. The excellence of delign and exquilite- 
nefs of vvorkmanfhip could not be exceeded ; it exhibited 
a grandeur beyond defeription; while the many and va¬ 
rious purpofes for which gold and filver materials were 
ufed, were equally beautiful and fuperb in all their mi¬ 
nute details. The furprifing luftre thrown upon the 
whole by the brilliancy of the illumination, feemed to re¬ 
alize all that fancy has feigned of the magnificent won¬ 
ders of oriental creation. 
The company, who continued to arrive from nine till half 
pall twelve, wereulhered into theftate-rooms,and foon filled 
the houfe. The hall was crowded with peers and peerelfes, 
and was made the fame ufe of as the apartments of ftate. 
Under the grand arched door-way between the halls, was 
a moft elegant fcarlet-and-gold drapery, after the antique. 
The male part of the nobility and gentry were habited in 
court-fuits, many richly embroidered, or in military and 
naval uniforms. The waving plumage—the elegant varie¬ 
gated drelfes—the fparkling diamonds, and, Hill more, the 
native beauty and grace of the ladies, gave a fort of en¬ 
chanting perfection to the whole of this brilliant courtly 
exhibition. La vielle cour de Ver/ailles, with all its proud 
pretenfions, could never have more attraftively fet forth 
the elegant fafeinations of fafhionable life and exalted 
rank. The upper fervants of his royal liighnefs’s houfe¬ 
hold u'ore a rich coftume of dark blue, trimmed with very- 
broad gold lace; the others wore their ftate-liveries. A 
confiderable number of the yeomen of the guard attended 
in different parts. The afliftants out of livery were drefled 
uniformly, in black fuits with white vefts. Two of the 
bands of the guards, in ftate-uniforms, played various airs 
throughout the night. Parties of the foot-guards proteHed 
all the immediate avenues; and the horfe-guards were fta- 
tioned in Pall Mall, St. James’s-ilreet, St. James’s-fquare, 
Piccadilly, &c. 
The prince-regent entered his ftate-apartments about a 
quarter pail nine, drefled in a fcarlet coat, moft richly and 
elegantly ornamented, in a very novel ltyle, with gold 
lace, and a brilliant liar of the order of the garter. The 
duke of York wore a fimilar coat; the pattern and orna¬ 
mental part were laid to be like one worn by that great 
warrior, the duke of Cumberland. His royal highnefs 
the prince-regent came into his ftate-apartments juft at 
the time the French king and princes arrived 5 he received 
them moft gracioufly. His royal highnefs afterwards, dur¬ 
ing the night, palled from one room to another without 
any attendants or ceremony, converfing in the moll affa¬ 
ble manner with his numerous guelts. The company 
found an abundance of amulement in perambulating this 
celebrated manfion. Dancing commenced about twelve 
in the grand council-chamber; and about two fupper was 
announced. The ball-room, after fupper, was furrounded 
with a gradation of converfation-ilools, for the accommo¬ 
dation of thofe who chofe to be calm l’peflators of the 
feene. The duchefs of York, princefs Sophia of Glou- 
cefter, and all the royal dukes,attended this fplendid fete. 
Upon no previous occafion, and at no court in Europe, 
was ever the experiment made to fet down 2000 of the 
principal nobility and gentry of a kingdotri to a regular 
fupper, as was the cafe at this fete. The largell enter¬ 
tainment, at the molt brilliant period of the French mo¬ 
narchy, was that given by the prince of Conde, at Chan¬ 
tilly, to the king of Sweden ; when 400 covers were laid. 
Here covers were laid for 1600 under canvas, and for 400 
in the houfe. 
In order to gratify a vail number of perfons who had 
no pretenfions to be admitted to the fete, the prince-re¬ 
gent was pleafed to order that the rooms and gardens of 
3 Carlton= 
