"The male part of the nobility and gentry, were habited in court suits, many richly embroidered, or in naval and military uniforms. The waving plumes, the elegant, variegated dresses, the sparkling diamonds, and, still more, the native beauty and grace of the ladies, gave a sort of enchanting perfection to the whole of this brilliant courtly exhibition. The _Vieille Cour de Versailles_, with all its proud pretensions, could never have more attractively set forth the elegant fascinations of fashionable life, and exalted rank. "The upper servants of his Royal Highness' household wore a rich costume of dark blue, trimmed with very broad gold lace; the others wore their state liveries. A considerable number of the Yeomen of the Guard attended in different parts. The assistants, out of livery, were dressed uniformly, in black suits with white vests. Two of the bands of the Guards, in state uniforms, played various airs throughout the night. Parties of the Foot-guards protected all the immediate avenues, and the Horse-guards were stationed in Pall Mall, St. James's Street, St. James's Square, Piccadilly, &c. Everything was managed, with the assistance of the Police, with unexampled care and convenience." CHAPTER IV. Ladies' dresses at the Fête -- The banquet -- Carlton House thrown open to the public -- The crush -- Sir F. Burdett's action against the Speaker -- Relief of British Prisoners in France -- Scarcity of guineas -- Lord King and his tenants -- Stories respecting the Currency. The ladies had been requested to dress themselves in the productions of British industry, and some of their costumes were truly magnificent. They are so uniformly beautiful, that in the examples I give, I take them as they follow, and make the extracts for the sake of their brevity. _The Marchioness of Downshire_ wore a petticoat of white satin, trimmed at the bottom with a Spanish net of embossed silver, over which was a tunic of the most beautiful silver stuff, of Irish manufacture, on which was delicately woven the shamrock: over the shoulders were superb epaulettes of embossed Spanish silver. The tunic was laced with diamond chains, and fastened in front with large diamond brooches. Her ladyship's ear-rings were the largest diamonds at the fête, to which there was a corresponding necklace, and a profusion of diamond ornaments. _The Marchioness of Sligo._ A dress of white satin, with a superb border of brilliant embroidery round the train; a robe richly embroidered in silver shamrock, round which was an elegant, and brilliant border, to correspond with the dress; diamond stomacher, armlets, necklace, and brooches. Head-dress, diamonds and ostrich feathers. _The Marchioness of Tavistock._ Splendid dress, embroidered in white and gold. _The Marchioness of Hertford._ White satin dress, embroidered in white and gold. _The Marchioness of Stafford._ Violet satin dress, richly embroidered in gold.