Sbe erourt.
THE presence of visiters at Buckingham Palace has imparted gayety and activity to the movements of the Court.
The Queen gave a state ball on Monday evening; the state apart- ments being thrown open. The general company began to arrive at nine o'clock. Among the earlier guests were—the Duke of Wellington, the Marquis of Anglesey, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston, Lady Peel, Lord Morpeth, Lord and Lady Stanley, Earl of Auckland, Earl of Aberdeen, Earl Fortescue, Sir R. Stopford, Lord and Lady John Russell, Lord Langdale, Vice-Chancel- lor Wigram, the Attorney-General, and Sir Thomas Wilde. The Mar- quis of Lorne and "the Chisholm" wore the Highland dress. The Queen and Prince Albert entered the ball-room with the guests at the Palace, the King of Hanover, the Dutchess of Kent, the Duke, Dutch- ess, and Prince George of Cambridge, and the Dutchess of Gloucester. The Ball-room and the Throne-room were used for dancing ; reserved seats being placed in recesses in each for the convenience of the Royal persons and principal guests. At half-past eleven o'clock, the Queen passed to the Throne-room, in which her Majesty danced. A splendid supper was served in the long Dining-room at half-past twelve. After supper, the Queen returned to the Ball-room, preceded by her piper playing on the bagpipes ; and dancing recommenced with a reel. Quadrilles and waltzes were continuedfill two o'clock ; when the Queen and Prince Albert retired, and dancing ceased.
On Tuesday, the Queen took the Princess Clementine, in a carriage and four, to the Zoological Gardens in the Regent's Park ; accompa- nied by Prince Albert, Duke Ferdinand and his sons, on horseback. The same party went on Wednesday to see the Thames Tunnel ; taking water at Whitehall stairs, and proceeding to the Tunnel in a Royal barge. The Queen was received by Mr. Hawes, M.P., and other Directors. There was a numerous concourse of spectators. The visiters descended the Rotherhithe shaft, passed through the Tunnel and back again ; and reentered the Royal barge for Whitehall amid loud cheers and the ringing of bells. Thursday morning was occupied with a drive to Claremont, and a visit to the Queen Dowager at Bushy Park The Royal party went to the Italian Opera on Saturday and Tues- day ; the Dutchess of Kent also being present.
The Duke Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg Gotha, Prince Augustus and the Princess Clementine, and Prince Leopold, have been diligent im- provers of their sojourn in the British capital. On Saturday, they paid visits to the King of Hanover, the Dutchess of Kent, the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge, and the Dutchess of Gloucester. Next day, those visits were returned by all but the King. On Monday, the family viewed St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower ; and the Duke and Princes visited Prince George. On Tuesday, besides the drive to the Regent's Park, the state-rooms of St. James's Palace, the British Museum, and the Reform Club were visited. The Princess Clementine subscribed to an engraving from the picture of The English Ceres, by the late Madame Soyer. On Wednesday. the exhibitions of the British Institution, the Society of British Artists, and the National Gallery, and Whitehall Chapel, were viewed; yesterday, Hampton Court Palace and its Cartoons.
The King of Hanover dined with the Carlton Club on Saturday, and went to Kew at night. On Sunday, his Majesty visited the Queen Dowager at Bushy Park, and gave a dinner-party in the evening ; the Dutchess of Gloucester being present. The King dined with the Marquis and Marchioness of Ely, on Monday ; was visited by the Duke of Cambridge on Tuesday ; dined with Count Kielmansegge on Wed- nesday, when the Duke of Cambridge was of the party ; with the Dutchess of Gloucester on Thursday and yesterday ; and last evening he went to a party given by the Marquis and Marchioness of Aylesbury.
Tuesday was the birthday of the Duteliess of Cambridge ; when her Royal Highness received congratulatory visits from Prince Albert, the King of Hanover, the Duchess of Kent, and the Dutchess of Glou- cester. The Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge visited the Queen Dowoger on Wednesday.
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