Social England under the Regency, Vol. 1 (of 2)Ashton, John
History
Social England under the Regency, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Ashton, John
England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century; Regency -- England
This scale of prices would never have done for the Clergyman
mentioned in the next day's paper. "A Clergyman, of the name of
Matheson, was minister of Patterdale, in Westmoreland, for sixty
years, and died lately, at the age of ninety. During the early
part of his life his benefice brought him only twelve pounds a
year; it was afterwards increased (perhaps by Queen Anne's bounty)
to eighteen, which it never exceeded. On this income he married,
brought up four children, and lived comfortably with his neighbours,
educated a son at the University, and left upwards of one thousand
pounds behind him. With that singular simplicity, and inattention to
forms which characterize a country life, he himself read the burial
service over his mother, he married his father to a second wife, and
afterwards buried him also. He published his own banns of marriage
in the church, with a woman whom he had formerly christened, and he
himself married all his four children."
On March 31st an illustrious lady, the Duchess of Oldenburgh, sister
to the Emperor of Russia, entered London in great state, having been
met at Sheerness by the Duke of Clarence on behalf of the Regent, who
sent one of his Carriages for her accommodation and use. Ostensibly
she only came to pay a complimentary visit to the Regent, but every
one surmised that such was merely a blind to cover a political
mission, for which she was well adapted.
To show what importance was attached to her visit, I give an official
account of her reception.
"The procession entered London, by Parliament Street, at a quarter
before four o'clock, in the following order:--
Two Light Horsemen.
The Duke of Clarence's travelling Chariot and four, in which were his
Royal Highness and Colonel Bloomfield.
Two Light Horsemen.
Two footmen and an outrider in the Royal liveries.
"The Prince Regent's Carriage, drawn by four bays, in which was
her Imperial Highness the Grand Duchess, Duchess of Oldenburg,
accompanied by the Princess Volochowsky, Madame Aladensky, and the
Countess Lieven.
"At each door of the Carriage one of the Prince Regent's footmen
rode. The Carriage was followed by a party of Light Horse.
"The third Carriage was another of the Prince Regent's, in which
were the Prince Gargarine, General Turner, &c.
"The Russian Ambassador's Carriage, with his Excellency in it,
finished the procession.
"They proceeded through the Horse Guards, out at the Stable Yard,
St. James's, up St. James' Street to the Pulteney Grand Hotel, where
her Imperial Highness was received by sentinels placed at the door
for that purpose. She was handed out of the carriage by the Duke of
Clarence and Colonel Bloomfield, who conducted her to the apartments
prepared for her.
"The Duke of Clarence took his leave, and proceeded to Carlton House,
and had an interview with his Royal brother, the Prince Regent. He
afterwards returned to her Imperial Highness, to express the Prince
Regent's congratulations on her safe arrival in England.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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