GRAND BALL FOR THE RELIEF OF THE SPITALFIELDS WEAVERS.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 26, 28 October 1842, Page 3

GRAND BALL FOR THE RELIEF OF THE SPITALFIELDS WEAVERS.

(From the Sydney Morning Herald.)

This, magnificent fdte which took place on Thursday night at her Majesty’s Theatre, possessed an interest in addition to the excellent and charitable object it was intended to promote, from its being one'of the very few occasions on which it has been the custom- not only of her Majesty, but of her immediate predecessor, to associate publicly and personally with her subjects in promoting a common object. The purpose of the ball, if we understand it rightly, was not oidy to give relief to the temporary necessities of the weavers, but to contribute towards a fund for the erection of a school in which the children of the weavers are to be instructed in the art of design. Should this plan be carried into effect, there is no doubt but that it would provide the most efficient remedy for those necessities which now periodically appeal to the sympathies of the public. In support of this opinion, there needs no other evidence than the display of rich and costly stuffs, the produce of the looms of those artisans for whose benefit the fete was given. If the taste in pattern and the elegance in design had been at all equal to the costliness of the material or the excellence of the workmanship ; the Spitalfields weavers would have needed no ball to assist them, for they would command the market of the world. With these preliminary observations, we will pass to the description of the ball itself. So backward were all the arrangements for the reception of the company, that, after keeping the public waiting half an hour at the doors, on entering, the interior of the theatre was not cleared of workmen, and was in some degree of confusion. Huge ladders fvere movirig about. Figures in armour were in the act of being fastened up, and the hammering arid din of labour continued even after the arrival of several of the ladies patronesses, and the theatre began to fill rapidly with company. Indeed, some of the officers of the royal household began to manifest some anxiety lest everything should not be ready before the arrival of the Queen, who it was kriowri, intended to be at tlie theatre early. This, however, was groundless, as everything was coiripleted before the arrival of her Majesty. The interior of the theatre had undergone a great change, and the committee deserve all praise for their labours. The whole of the pit was floored over, level with the stage. The side scenes were cleared away entirely from the stage, which was hung all round with rich drapery; and a range of Corinthian columns in white' and gold, was introduced across the back of the stage, in the centre of which was a trophy of armour, and men in armour were ranged on either side. The fed curtains in front of tlie boxes were removed, and in their place a profusion of various-coloured satins in festoons were tastefully interwoven with each other. White and gold fluted columns were placed in front of the partitions round each tier of boxes, each column surmounted with a crown, connected with the draperies, and between the columns each festoon passed through a golden laurel wreath. The pavilion intended for her Majesty was most gorgeous. It occupied the centre of the house, and reached nearly up to the gallery, and was surmounted with the royal arms. Tlie curtains and linings wire of the most gorgeous crimson silk velvet, lined with satin, and trimmed with gold lace. The glass chaudeliers were suspended in the box, where, under , this superb pavilion, was grouped the chief beauty of our land. No description can give justice to the dazzling splendour of the scene. The orchestra was arranged in the same way as the Concerts d’Ete, at Drury Lane Theatre, only that there was no promenade round it, it extending to the back of the stage. Four or five extra chandeliers were suspended from the ceiling, and several oyer the stage. Altogether, the effect was very brilliant. Among the earliest arrivals, about half-past nine o’clock, were the Marquis and Marchioness of Londonderry, the Earl of Cardigan,, the Earl of Roseberry, the Ladies Primrose, and great numbers of the ladies patronesses. The company continued, to pour into the theatre until half-past eleven

■ o’clock, ivhen it became -a perfect crush. Thd Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, with Prince George and Princess Augusta of Cambridge and the Duchess of Gloucester, arrived a little before ten o’clock, and took their seats in the two boxes on the left hand of the royal pavilion, being, of course, to the right of the spectator. The duke was dressed in a field marshal’s uniform, and wore the ribbon, star, and jewel of the order of the garter, the jewel of the black eagle, and also the jewel of another order. Prince George wore the uniform of his new regiment, with the insignia of the garter. The Duke and Dnchess of Beaufbrt and Lady Seymour, the Marchioness of Aylesbury, and a whole host of ladies patronesses, occupied the corresponding boxes on the other side of the royal pavilion. About this time the house began to present a very brilliant appearance —the two most conspicuous persons in the grand tier being Count dc St. Aulaire, the French ambassador, who wore the grand cross of the legion of honour, and the ex-Duke of Brunswick, who appeared in a very splendid hussar uniform. Soon after ten o’clock, her Majesty and Prince Albert entered the royal pavilion, preceded by Earl Dalawar, as lord chamberlain, followed by the Earl of Liverpool, the Duchess of Buccleuch, the Marquis of Exeter, Lady Portman, Miss Liddell, Miss Paget, Miss Dcvcrcux, the five Counts Mensdorff, Earl Jermyn, Earl Jersey, Lord Forrester, Lord Ernest Bruce, Colonel Dawson Damer, the Hon. Mr. Murray, Colonel Reid, Lord Morton, and the rest of the royal suite, in full official costume. There seemed some hesitation at first whether etiquette would permit a public acknowledgment of the presence of the sovereign, but when the band commenced the national anthem, all doubt vanished, and her Majesty was received with loud acclamations. Her Majesty wore the diadem of diamonds ornamented with the Maltese cross, a diamond necklace, and the insignia of the garter. Prince Albert appeared in field marshal’s uniform, with the stars of the garter, the bath, and the two other orders of knighthood, and the badge of

the golden fleece set in brilliants. His royal highness sported enormous jack boots, which some of the ladies seemed to think a little out of keeping with tlie interior of,a ball room. We may remark by the way, that at his royal highness’s wedding he wore a field marshal’s uniform, but sans jack boots ; and their addition is certainly, in our opinion, no improvement to his royal highness* appearance. About, lialf-an-hour after the royal party had taken their seats, during which dancing proceeded with as much spirit as the crowded state of the saloon would allow, the door again opened, and. the Duchess of Gloucester, and the Duke and Duchess, and Prince George and Princess Augusta of Cambridge, entered. The Que.cn received her royal relatives most cordially, kissing the female members, and entering into cheerful conversation with the Duchess of Gloucester, who now occupied a front seat to her Majesty’s right, the Duchess of Kent being on her left. Prince Albert now seated himself behind her Majesty, and beside the Princess Augusta!, the Duchess of Cambridge sitting next to him. The Duke of Cambridge stood and talked very cheerfully in turn to all ground him—sometimes so loud as to fie heard in an upper box in which we happened to be seated. The Duke of Cambridge’s party did not stay above half an hour. Shortly after they left, a scene of considerable interest took place. The ladies patronesses of the ball, and several other ladies, had the honour to be personally introduced and presented to her Majesty. The Queen rose to receive them, turning her back to the body of the house, curtseying to each, and shaking hands and addressing some observations to not a few of them. As the ladies moved out by the other door, they saluted Prince Albert and the Duchess of Kent, by which proceeding the royal box presented a constant scene of bowing and bustle for several minutes. The last of the fair procession having passed out, the royal party resumed their seats; and the dancing, which, while this ceremony was going on, had given way to the impulse of mute up-gazing curiosity, was resumed. Alter another quadrille, and a waltz or two, in which latter, sooth to say, the cavaliers in general acquitted themselves in a very so-so style, the door of the royal box again opened, and the Duke of Wellington was introduced to pay his respects to her Majesty. His grace was greeted with a loud and long-continued clapping of hands. He appeared in a simple blue uniform, without any decorations. In a few minutes after liis grace’s eritrance, the royal party went out of the box to take refreshment, the Duke of Wellington handing out the Duchess of Kent. After an. absence of about ten minutes the royal party again returned. One or two straggling presentations took place from time to time during the short period the Queen remained, which we could not help thinking became at last rather fatiguing to her Majesty, who with her whole court had to rise, turn round, and curtsey on each occasion. At.about a quarter past twelve, her .Majesty rose from her seat, and after curt-, seying most graciously to the company, left the; house, amidst loud cheering and clapping of hands, the two bands in attendance again playing the national anthem. Among the jewels dis-

flayed, those iff 1 lie Marchioness of London - deny were pre-eminent for their value and brilliancv. There were several fancy dresses, and there was an exhibition of the costume of two North American Indians, but these were the exceptions. The hall was so exceedingly numerous that it was only very late in the evening that dancing was to be obtained with any degree of comfort, except within the privileged circle, and it was therefore kept up till a late hour. The arrangements for refreshments were very liberal. To catch the picturesque of the splendid spectacle it was necessary to ascend to a central elevation over the royal canopy, whence, at a glance, the eye gathered in the glorious scene, on which a painter might have expended some noble efforts of genius. The whole face of the house was altered, and it appeared more like one of the glorious visions set forth to our imagination by the genius of Spenser than the vast dull calico ilrapcried theatre we had entered only a short time before. Words, indeed, can convey but coldly an idea of the picture presented in that magnificent expanse —a grand ocean of human countenances, along with which mingled all the glow of colours, all the glitter of gold, all the brilliancy of jewels, and all the airy gracefulness of plumes, while towering to the lofty roof rose the circling tiers, whence a thousand fairy forms gleamed with lustrous brightness. Of such surpassing splendour was the scene, that it absolutely oppressed the mind as it dazzled the vision, yet its magic charms held captive every gazer. When through that vast throng' the arrival of royalty spread one simultaneous sensation of delight, and the expression of loyal gratulation circulated from one end to the other of that mighty crowd, all faces turned towards that “bright particular star” which shone supreme ; and when the stirring strains of the national anthem commenced, tho flow of music, which was to blend with the splendour of spectacle all the melody of sound, the effect transcended anything that the most vivid imagination could portray.