PROLOGUE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1812, 13 August 1886, Page 27

PROLOGUE.

This is the age of progress— so we're told ; We're far advanced be-yond our sirea of old ; Our simplest youngster know a. thing or two Of more importance than their lathers knew. This may bo called the age of train and tram, Of news and knowledge, shoddy, steam, and sham. We'vft grown so wise that life seems far too short To waste in merriment aud gladsome sport. Though care and worry, in the race tor wealth, Saps up the spring* of happiness and health, We eagerly pursue the golden calf, And find small leisure tor a hearty laugh. We're bless'd, 'tis true, with institutions free, Such as our fathers never dream'd could bo ; We've manhood suffrage, — that s the right to send Our talking men to Parliament to spend — Or waste — the public funds ; but let that pass, Our legislative lights are famed for gas ; For years our members have, without a doubt, Talk'd poor New Zealand fairly up the spout ; But spite of this, our colony has grown, And sbill must grow, if only left a loan. Now this digression's only meant to show How fast we are, and how absurdly slow Our fathers were ; but though they lack'd our speed, Our thirst for knowledge and our love of greed, They understood quite well enjoyment's arts, And thus they pass'd through life with lighter

hearts— That is, supposing that they kept their heads Upon their shoulders, dying in their beds. It's interesting to us all to know How folk enjoy'd themselves long year* ago ; And so, with true poetic license, we Will take a backward leap, and cross the sea To merry England of the olden time, When our immortal Will was in his prime (Ah, little thought they then that Shakspeare's plays Would make him deathless through all future days), And when the Tndor's sceptre proud was sway'd By Royal B«ss — the sti^ng-will'd Monarch Maid ; Some call her best aud purest, but, I trow, A t etter and a purer rules us now — In goodness greater, but in greatness less ; We 11 call them Good Queen Vie. and Great Queen

Bess. But I'm forgetting where we are. Behold ! The suits of armour, worn by barons bold, Who proved their valour oft in many fights (Iv those old days there were some fond, good knights Who bravely fought for love and glory). Here Are stags' heads, too (they liked each pretty deer) ; Again, it will be seen, in days of yore An honour'd pUce was given to the boar. But pray remember that then boars had sense ; They give a grunt, but seldom give offence. (If bores of modern times just gave a grunt When button-holing, few would take affront). Again lam digressing. Know ye all That we're assembled in proud Dudley's Hall At Kenilworth ; and to this place to-day Comes England's Virgin Queen with grand array, Attended by the noblest in the land ; Youth, chivalry, and beauty join the band. The noble Leicester comes with princely mien Beside his royal idol and his queen. The gallant. Essex, too, comes with her grace ; And 'mongsb her knights beams Raleigh s handsome facel They had no railways then to cross each plain, And yet they bring a most extensive train. (I'm Bureyou will acknowledge as they pass, ThMr carriages are really all first-class.) Such regal revels ne'er before have been Within this isle, to welcome king or queen As shall be here to-day. But, hark, they come ! I hear the merry music and the hum Of many voices— Ope the portals wide! A' d let them enter in their pomp and pride ; Welcome to Kenil worth the royal guest. Surrounded by the noblest and the best Of England's sons and daughters— clear the way ! Room for the maiden monarch ! Hip hurrah !

Immediately after the reading of this prologue the trumpets blasted, the doors fell open, and the audience addressed themselves attentively to the spectacle. Marching from the doorway stagewards came a veritably resplendent procession — the trumpeter and banner bearer first, supported by a couple of stalwart beefeaters ; then Mr Robinson, the herald, fittingly attired, and following him a body of old England's tars, headed by Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Hawkins; next came the maids of honour; then the Queen Elizabeth, attended by two diminutive pages and with her suitable following of nobles. The costume of Her Majesty (Miss A. Watson) was worth noticing. The skirt was of white satin richly embroidered with gold braid and spangles. The train, of crimson velvet — full court length — was elaborately embroidered in running patterns of gold braid, spangles, pearls and variegated beads. The border was of rich ermine about 8 inches wide*} and the reverse was a rich satin of a pale blue colour and heavily quilted. The bodice (pointed and cut with square front) was of the same material as the train, and was surmounted by an Elizabethan ruffle of white satin, handsomely trimmed with gold braid and pearls set off by some lace of chaste design. The sleeves too in their way were works of art, the larger puffs being beautifully embroidered and slashed with white satin, and the whole costume (made we understand by Miss Wilson, of Messrs Leslie, Lane, and Dobie) was certainly unique. Fortunately there were too many brilliant costumes among Elizabeth's court, and among the motley crowd of monarchs that afterwards rendered her homage, to make it possible to give a description of each and every toilet. Some were dazzling and all were good.

On reaching the stage, the trumpter, bannerbearer, and beefeaters marched to their places behind the throne, while the maids of honour formed a double line through which the Queen passed to her place. The court was made up as follows : — Queen Elizabeth, Miss Alice Watson; Maids of Honour — Misses M'Lean, Calvert, M. Lowes, B. Evans, F. Hardy, M. Eva, M. and S. Stephenson, B. Wilson, M. Evans, T. Roberts, and Mrs Hardy. Lords — Messrs Tewsley, Ashcroft, Flinders, Dobson, H. Mander, H. Power, W. J. Davie, Kerr, F. Tre-

seder, Davis, Stuart, W. A. W. Wathen, and Fulton. Herald— Mr Horace Robinson; As the revels were the historic revels of Kenilworth, it wns of course necessary that Leicester (Mr Ashcroft) should present an address of welcome to his sovereign which he did by the mouth of the herald, and her Majesty through the same channel replied. Then came the procession of children, mostly in pairs, although some 'small monarchs walked solitany. All the reigning princes of England were there, from Alfred the Great to Charles 11, although why the series should have been continued thus far and no farther is a mystery. The spectacle of James and the two Charles' doing reverence to Elizabeth was singular, to say the least of it, and one wondered why the Hanoverians and Guelphs should not have followed suit. But, independently of this, the procession was very pretty, and the dresses— all, no doubt, archceologically correct— were much admired. The admiration, it was observable, went mostly by size, and the smaller the sovereign the louder the applause. They all— small, medium, and full-grown— walked with slow step, and in as stately a fashion as their little legs would permit, did their brief homage, and filedroundthe hall into their places. Then came a final march past, and then after a short concert programme by the orchestra (under Mr Leech), a few quaint dances which the children went through in a way that bespoke careful training. The floor of the hall was then thrown open, and the serious part of the business (to the visitors} commenced. They were expected to buy, and no doubt they bought, and if they did not buy solid goods there were other ways of spending their money. They could buy over Destiny, for example, at a couple of for-tune-telling tents managed respectively by Miss Weldon and Mr W. A. W. Wathen; or they could purchase creature comforts at the roomy refreshment stall near the entrance. Most visitors were, no doubt, allured by one attraction or another, and the treasury return for the opening night should be satisfactory to the promotors.