PAGEANTS-OF WHAT USE ARE THEY?

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10477, 24 June 1897, Page 3

PAGEANTS-OF WHAT USE ARE THEY?

TO THE EDITOR.

Sib— Seddou gave as a reason why be ' was doubtful about going to London for the Jubilee, that "he did not care much for pageants." Well done King Richard tin First of New Zealand. It is well not to b< "fond" of pageants just as it is not wise to be " fond" of money, dress, or fame, and yet some very good people sip more or less largely, more or less wisely, or " otherwisely" of those luxuries. A pageant represents something (generally good), but, of course, often bad. A pageant might accompany an auto da k when some poor creature dubbed! "heretic" is utterly consumed for thehonouc and glory of religion; or a pageant may sur< round the wedding ceremony in which Mr. Seddonso recently joined, and hewas very fond of that pageant, I have no donbt, Pageant is a word once signifying a stage. It is by earthly pageants that principles.attachments, ideas, fancies are expressed. Just as they are expressed by dresses and processions of Oddfellows, Foresters, and others, our own loyal and royal pageant of yesterday showed our love for a woman, a Queen, an admirable: ruler. Who shall Bay that love or reverence., for such, however loudly expressed or even:' showily delivered, is not good as promoting, happiness, human brotherhood, our unity inone undivided empire ? And can we shut out the fact that pageant these" few' Says has made millions forget their poverty, their* sorrows, the dull moil and toil of life ? Is it. nothing, sir, that millions of extra hands— mean men, of course-have been employed and paid in every quarter of the globe ? A* I write the night in England is bright and i brilliant as the day. Such night in England ne'er has been. Among us it is true, sir, bus much more so in London, Liverpool, and Glasgow, that people smile through their hunger and rags, and are inspired at this very hour as I write by music, banners, illuminations, gifts from the rich, and especially front these colonies. In England, Canada, and elsewhere people bless Queen Victoria because a bright sense of the genial and a loving pageantry on behalf of the Queen has inspired Britons and her loyal subjects everywhere to do honour to Victoria tha wise and good.—l am, etc., Colonist and Englishman,