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was handed out of the coach by his majesty's brother, the Duke of York. Upon her entrance into the garden, she sunk on her knee to the king, who in a most affeetionate manner raising her up, salutedher, and then led her with his right hand into the palace, where she dined with his majesty, the Princess Dowager, and the Princess Augusta.

In the evening, at nine o'clock, the marriage was celebrated with great solemnity. Just previous to the ceremonial, the princess was observed to look more than usually thoughtful. The Duchess of Ancaster took the liberty of saying something to rally her spirits. "Ah!" replied her highness," you have gone through the ceremony twice, and may think nothing of it; but to me it is too new and momentous an event not to fill me with apprehension."

THE CORONATION.

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"The king's whole behaviour at the coronation," says Bishop Newton, was justly admired and commended by every one, and particularly his manner of ascending and seating himself on the throne after his coronation. No actor in the character of Pyrrhus in the Distrest Mother, not even Booth himself, who was celebrated for it in the Spectator, ever ascended the throne with so much grace and dignity. There was another particular, which those only could observe who sat near the communion table, as did the Prebendaries of Westminster. When the king approached the communion table, in order to receive the sacrament he enquired of the archbishop whether he should not lay aside his crown? The archbishop asked the Bishop of Rochester, but neither of them knew,

or could say, what had been the usual form. The king determined within himself, that humility best became such a solemn act of devotion, and took off his crown, and laid it down during the administration."

The public curiosity to see the coronation was very great; and compared with that displayed on former occasions of a similar nature, presents a wonderful rate of increase.

On consulting Stowe, Speed, and other antiquaries, with regard to the sums formerly given, it appears that the price of a good place at the coronation of William the Conqueror was a blank; and probably the same at that of his son, William Rufus. At Henry the First's coronation, it was a crocard; and at those of Stephen, and Henry the Second, a pollard. At the coronations of Richard and John, who were crowned frequently, it was a suskin; and rose at Henry the Thirds to a dodkin. In the reign of Edward, the coins begin to be more intelligible, and we find that for seeing his coronation a Q was given, or the half of a ferling, or farthing, which was the fourth part of a penny. At the coronation of Edward the Second it was a farthing; and at that of his son, Edward the Third, a halfpenny, which was very well given. In the thoughtless reign of Richard the Second, it was a penny; and continued the same at that of Henry the Fourth. At the coronation of Henry the Fifth, it was two pennys, or the half of a grossus or groat; and the same at that of Henry the Sixth, though during his time coronations were so frequent, that the price was brought back to the penny or halfpenny, and sometimes they were seen for nothing. At the coronation of Edward the Fourth,

it was again the half groat; nor do we find it raise 1 at the coronation of Richard the Third, or Henry the Seventh. At that of Henry the Eighth, it was the whole groat; nor was it altered when Edward the Sixth, and Queen Mary, were crowned; though at Queen Elizabeth's coronation it was a testour, or tester. At the coronations of James the First and Charles the First, a shilling was given; and the price advanced to half-a-crown at those of Charles the Second and James the Second. At the coronation of King William, and that of Queen Anne, it was a crown; and that of George the First was seen by many for the same price. At the coronation of George the Second, some gave half-a-guinea, but that was thought vastly extravagant. How different was the case at the coronation of his successor ! The front seats in the gallery of Westminster Abbey were let at ten guineas each; and those, in commodious houses along the procession, at no less prices. The prices in the ordinary houses were from five guineas to one guinea; so that one little house in Coronation Row, after the scaffolding was paid for, cleared £700, and some large houses, upwards of £1000. In the coronation theatres, as they were called, being a sort of large booths capable of containing from twelve hundred to fifteen hundred seats, the prices were beyond all precedent. The ground-rent to build the scaffolding on, was proportionably extravagant. That in the Broad Sanctuary let at three guineas and a half per foot, and that within the rails enclosing the Abbey, at five guineas. As an instance of the eagerness to witness this grand spectacle, a gentleman was prevailed on to take a room for his lady at the rate of one hundred

and forty guineas; but the appointment of the solemnity of the coronation falling nnhappily exactly at the time of her expected acconchement, she had farther prevailed on her husband to let a skilful accoucheur, nurse, &c. attend her, and to hire an additional withdrawing room, lest the hurry of the day should accelerate an event which would render it impossible to remove her.

At the coronation, which was celebrated with the greatest solemnity and rejoicing, a large quantity of silver medals, struck for the occasion, was very freely distributed; the medals were of two different descrip

tions:

The KING'S had, on one side, his Majesty's bust; the exergue, GEORGIUS III. D. G. M. BR. Fr. et HIB. REX, F. D. On the reverse, his Majesty sitting, and Britannia holding a crown over his head; the exergue, PATRIÆ OVANTI.

The QUEEN'S---on one side, her Majesty's bust; the exergue, CHARLOTTA D. G. M. BR. FR. ET HIB. REGINA. On the reverse, her Majesty at full length; an altar beside her, with a flame rising from it; and over her, a seraph descending with a crown, and going to place it on her head; the exergue, QUAE

SITUM MERITIS.

PETITION OF THE LADIES OF ST. ALBANS.

No event could have given greater satisfaction to the British nation, than the marriage of the King, and the Princess of Mecklenburg; and addresses of congratulation poured in from every corner of the British empire. The Quakers, a body not easily moved by

external objects, sent loyal and affectionate addresses, which were presented by Dr. Fothergill to their majesties; even the ladies, to show they were not wanting in respect, encroached on the privilege of the other sex to pay their homage, as the following address will show : "TO THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.

"The humble Address of the Ladies of the Borough of St. Albans, in the County of Hertford.

"MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY,

"WE, your most dutiful and affectionate subjects, being, by custom, precluded from being named in the address of the Mayor and Corporation of this place, beg leave to approach your majesty, with the warmest congratulations on your happy nuptials.

"Formed by nature, and improved by the completest education, you were selected, by the best of kings, to add the only happiness that was wanting to his majesty in this world.

"As subjects are greatly influenced by the example of their sovereign, we have the greatest reason to hope, that the matrimonial state will be duly honoured, by your majesty's dutiful subjects cheerfully following the royal example; an example too much wanted in this degenerate age, wherein that happy state is made the object of ridicule instead of respect, by too many vain, giddy, and dissipated minds. If the riches of a nation consist in its populousness, this happy country will in this respect too soon become poor, whilst the lawful means to continue posterity are either shackled by the restraint of mistaken laws, or despised by those who respect none.

"But as every virtuous and commendable action is

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