27 MAY 1837, Page 5

litfile Stirtropoitg.

Wednesday, the day on which the Princess Victoria completed her eighteenth year, was very generally kept as a festival in the Metropolis. Most of the great shops were closed the whole or part of the day, and the workmen in the munufactories and breweries were allowed a holy- day. Neither House of Fulfilment sat. At night there were splen- did illuminations all over London ; and the throng of carriages and people on foot was immense. It was a beautiful evening for the dis- play of gas-lights ; though fair and of an agreeable temperature, it was dark. There was not much variety in the devices or forms of the illu- mination. The letters " P. V." with stars and crowns, and wreathe

of lamps coloured green to imitate laurel, were seen everywhere. Although there was no interference of the police as to the direction of the carriages, there was not a single accident. We never saw a more good-humoured or better-behaved crowd; which, considering that the show was scarcely begun till ten o'clock, that the day had been one of play, not work, and that there had been racing at Epsom in the morning, is saying a good deal for the sound hearts and sound sense of the Cocknies. Could the inhabitants of Paris, Madrid, Vienna, Naples, or Petersburg, the well-watched subjects of the Continental despots, have been as safely left to themselves on such an occasion ? There were probably half a million of persons in the streets of the Metropolis on Wednesday night.

At St. James's Palace there was a grand state ball. A most bra- Bent party was assembled to do honour to the Princess and her another.

" One detraction alone," says the proper oracle, the Morning Post," rendered this festival all but a jubilee—the indisposition of their Majesties, the cause of whose absence was a source of general regret. Before ten o'clock, the state apartments of the Palace, consisting of the entree chamber, Queen Anne's (or the ball) room, the grand drawing•romn, the throne•room, the King's closet, the banqueting-room, the lung gallery, retiring rooms, &c. were thrown open, brilliantly illuminated. The Yeomen of the Guard, in their full costume, lined the avenues leading to the state apartments; the King's Pages appeared in their state liveries; the Officers of their Majesties' Houselial.1 official uni- forms; and, in every point of etiquette, the Court ceremonial was observed as strictly as if the distinguished company were to enjoy the gratification of the iresence of their beloved Monarch and his amiable consort.

" The company began to arrive before ten o'clock. Amongst the first arri- vals, were the Foreign Ambassadors and Ministers, and those connected with his Majesty's Government. The ball-loom and adjoining apartments were crowded before eleven o'clock ; at which helm precisely the Royal party entered from the King's closet. The two bands struck up God save the King ;' the principal officers of the King's Household, bearing their wands of office, pro- ceeded through the suite of apartments to the ball-room, the company forming an avenue, and paving their devoirs as the Royal party proceeded to take their seats. Her Royal Ilighnests the Princess Victoria was supported on the right by her Royal Highness the Princess Augusta, and on the left by the Dutchess of Kent. Nothing could surpass the splendour and deep interest of the scene, as the Heiress Presumptive to the British Throne advanced, to assume for the first time the chair of state, and to preside over an assembly, including the principal nobility, rank, and talent of which this country can boast. The Prin- cess took the centre chair; the Princess Augusta as representative of the Queen, hying seated on her right, and the Dutchess of Keat ou her left. The young Princess appeared, as well as her Must' ions parent, highly animated by the passing scene. Her Royal Highness, rising from her chair, received the congratulations of the Duke of Cumberland and other distinguished persons with the utmost grace; mud after an interval of a few moments only, the ball opened with a quadrille ; the Princess herself being led off by Lord Fitzalan, eldest son of the Eall of Story, and grandson of the Duke of Norfolk. Her Royal Highness subsequently *danced with Prince Nicholas; Estechazy, son of the Austrian Amba.sador. Veippert's full band of thirty. five musicians per- formed in style it vaiiety of new quadrilles, arranged hone the opera of MaleA Ads!, and other favourite romptolHous. "The costumes, it is almost needless to say, were of the most stmelb descrip- tion. Diamonds blazA ou every site, rivalling the eyes 1,1 the brilliant wearers. The majority of the ladies wore plumes; and the coup mail eF mile bali• room at midnight was most imposing. f he Princess Victoria was attired iii a blonde dress of British mar.ut:w•ture, over a licit white twin slip, ornamented from the Waist with blossoms of can clia japonica, the sleeves fastened by noends of light blue, interspersed with brilliants. tier It in al Highness's h-oil-dress was plain, but extremely elegant. The hair was confined VII the fore;mol by a small ban- deau of brilliants, surmounted by it wreath of geranium Idossious and jessamines, highly bee • k. 'I he Princess Augusta tire it rich white satin dress, a must superb suite of brilliants, the diadem magnificent, and ic:1 plumes. Thc Dutchess of Kent was also attired in a white satin and blonde dress, of great elegance, the bodice ornamented with valuable rubies of large magnitude, with diamond headdiess."

The Princess bad been serenaded at seven o'clock in the morning, by Messrs. Wilson, Seguin, Giithelei, &c. ; who, with a band of wind instruments and harps, assembled under her Royal lligheess's bed- room-window at Kensington Palace. Besides the compositions for the day, " God salve the King" was sung. In the course of the morn- big, many congratulatory visits were puid to the Dutchess and her

daughter. The houses t11 n tort were decorated with flags and flowers. In the evening, tradespeople hod a dinner ; and at night there were illuminati/As.