costumed as Tragedy and Comedy. Thence the procession wended its way
to the Pantheon, where the mouldering remains of Voltaire were placed
beside those of Descartes and Mirabeau. All Paris that evening was one
festal scene; illuminations blazing on the busts and figures of the
patriot of equality.
[Illustration: FIG. 48.--_Funeral Car of Nelson._--From a contemporary
engraving, reproduced expressly for this publication.]
The obsequies in England of Lord Nelson, which took place on January
9, 1806, were extremely imposing. I transcribe from a contemporary and
inedited private letter the following account of it:--"I have just
returned from such a sight as will never be seen in London again. I
managed at an inconveniently early hour to get me down into the Strand,
and so down Norfolk Street to a house overlooking the river. Every
post of vantage wherever the procession could be seen was swarming
with living beings, all wearing mourning, the very beggars having a
bit of crape on their arms. The third barge, which contained the body,
was covered with black velvet and adorned with black feathers. In the
centre was a viscount's coronet, and three bannerols were affixed
to the outside of the barge. In the steerage were six lieutenants
of the navy and six trumpets. Clarencieux, King-at-Arms, sat at the
head of the coffin, bearing a viscount's coronet on a black velvet
cushion. The Royal Standard was at the head of the barge, which was
rowed by forty-six seamen from the 'Victory.' The other barges in the
cortege were rowed by Greenwich pensioners. The fourth barge contained
Admiral Sir Peter Parker, the chief mourner, and other admirals,
vice-admirals, and rear-admirals; whilst the Lords of the Admiralty,
the Lord Mayor of London, members of the various worshipful Companies,
and other distinguished mourners occupied the remaining barges, which
were seventeen in number, and were flanked by row-boats, with river
fencibles, harbour marines, etc., etc. All, of course, had their
colours half-mast high. On the following morning, the 9th, the land
procession, which I also contrived to see, started from the Admiralty
to pass through the streets of London to St. Paul's, between dense
crowds all along the route. This procession was of great length, and
included Greenwich pensioners, sailors of the 'Victory,' watermen,
judges and other dignitaries of the law, many members of the nobility,
public officers, and officers of the army and navy; whilst in it were
carried conspicuously the great banner, gauntlets, helmet, sword,
etc., of the deceased. The pall was supported by four admirals. Nearly
10,000 military were assembled on this occasion, and these consisted
chiefly of the regiments that had fought in Egypt, and participated
with the deceased in delivering that country from the power of France.
The car in which the body was conveyed was peculiarly magnificent. It
was decorated with a carved resemblance of the head and stern of the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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