itqt Court.
TEE christening of the Queen's youngest boy, in the chapel at Bucking- ham Palace, on Saturday, was performed with much pomp and ceremony. The Prince of Prussia had made a rapid journey from Petersburg to ho present, as one of the sponsors; arriving only a few hours before the ceremony. The christening party consisted of the members of the Royal Family in England, the Ministers of England, and the Ambassadors from Belgium, Portugal, and Prussia, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Bishops of London and Oxford. The "procession of sponsors was headed by the Lancaster Herald and the Chester Herald; the Duke of Wellington walked on the dexter side, the Dutchess of Kent, as proxy for the Ilutchess Ida of Saxe Weimar, in the centre, and the Prince of Prussiaon the left side. Her Majesty's procession was headed by the Norroy King of Arms and the Clarencieux King of Arms ; the .Queen and Prince Albert were followed by four of their children in tOios, and by Prince George of Cambridge and Prince Edward of Saxe Weiniar, with the Dutchess of Cambridge and the Princess Mary. The choir performed a chorale composed by Prince Albert expressly for the occasion, The Prince being named—" Arthur William Patrick Albeit," the Archbishop of Canterbury baptized hin by that name; and the. rite was duly attested "in the register-book The party then moved out of the chapel with the same heraldic ceremony as before. All the ladies woe dresses of white silks or satins of English make • the Queen wore the riband of the Garter attached to her shoulder by a diamond clasp, which supported a splendid George set in brilliants ; she wore also, as an armlet, a garter with the motto net in diamonds ; her diadem was of diamonds and emeralds. The sponsors glittered with orders; and the heralds wore their quaintly inag- nificent tabards and their gold chains, and carried their badges. Her Majesty gave a state banquet in the.evening ; and afterwards an evening party, at which the Nepaulese Envoy was a guest.
The Queen gave her first state ball of the season on Wednesday, at Buckingham Palace. Upwards of two thousand invitations were issued, and the attendance was unusually-large and brilliant Among the notable persons present were the French Ambassador, M. Drouyn de 1.41anya, with his lady; and the Prussian Minister, with Madame Bunsen. •,,ameng, those marked by the Court newsman for their " earlieefartivanwe-911-• serve the amusing concurrence :of ILtiodoStauley, •Riezgeben Antris 44* Earl of Aberdeen, and Sir James Graham. The company assembled in the. Picture Gallery, the.-..alcove. of which'vtint filled With fragrant and, beautiful flowering plants. The. Queen enteted the liill:roonf at ten.. dressed in blue silk trimniet with.silver blonde and-eprays Of eglantine • and wearing a wreath of eglantine with rich ornaments of diamonds: She opened the hall in a quadrille with the Prince of Prussia, vis-a-vis with Prince Albert and the Dateless of Sutherland ; and after quadrilles and waltzes there followed "Prince Patrick's polka, composed expressly for the occasion.
Her Majesty gave a dinner-party on Monday, . at which Senor Isturitz was a guest ; and an evening party outhe same day; at which the Cheva- lier Bunsen was present, with his lady and daughters. The Queen drove out in the Parks two or thre- e times this 'week ; Prince Albert, and her Majesty's guest the Prince of Prussia, accompanying her, sometimes in the same carriage and sometimes on horseback. On Thum- day, she drove in an open carriage with her children to visit the Duke of Cambridge; and it was on returning from this visit that she encountered
the inexplicable violence described below. • The Queen, Prince Albert, and the Prince of Prussia, went on Wed- nesday to the exhibition of the New Society of Painters in Water Colours. The Queen purchased Mr. Warren's "Wise Men of the East," and Mr.. Edward Corbould's " Florette de Nerd."
Her Majesty held a Court, at Buckingham Palace, on Wednesday. Prince Pomatowski had an audience to present his credentials as Minister Plenipotentiary from the Grand Duke of Tuscany. The Prince of Pru.ssia held a diplomatic levee, at Buckingham Palace, on Wednesday. The Dutehess of Kent and the Prince of Leiningen left London, for Brussels, on Monday.
The Duke of Cambridge has been ill during the whole of this week. Her Majesty, the Dutohess of Gloucester, and many hundreds of the no- bility, have called on him to learn the progress of his recovery.
The Queen was the object of a personal outrage on Thursday, as she' was entering her carriage from the house of the Duke of Cambridge. A considerable crowd had collected- at the gate of the Duke's mansion in' Piccadilly, for the pleasnre of a close look at the Queen and her children ;. and among the crowd, a .very tall person, respectably dressed, was noted to be singularly expectant. As the open carriage came out of the gate, about twenty minutes past six, this person stepped forward, and, using the advantage of his stature, aimed a smart blow, at her Majesty's face, with a light cane which he carried. The blow fell on the "upper partaf the Queen's forehead, and upon her bonnet; which being of light texture was driven in by its force." The assailant did not repeat his_
violence .
for several persons in the crowd instantly seized bold of him; ant one person struck him on the face, with such sharp vengeance as to draw " forth blood co-Piously. Policeman Sergeant Silver took him into custody, and with difficulty saved him from worse violence. • When her Majesty received the blow, she simply raised her hand and: rearranged her bonnet, betraying no sort of alarm : as soon as the people. saw that she was not seriously hurt, they cheered in delight, and she ac- knowledged their good feeling with the moat self-possessed kindness of, manner.
At the Vine Street Police Station, the prisoner readily gave the name' of Robert Pate and stated that he was a retired Lieutenant of the Tenth Hu.stiars, residing at No. 27 Duke Street, St. James's. Questioned as to the charge, he replied that it was quite true he had struck • the Qtieen- " a slight blow with a thin stick"; but he added, "very emphatically,"' says the report, "those men [the witnesses] cannot prove whether I struck her head or her bonnet." No Money, nor any weapon, was found on his person. Inquiries have established that he is the son of azentle- man of large property at Wisbeach; that he entered the Tenth 1:fusee:El,. as a Cornet, in 1841, and_re_tired thence, by title of his Lieutenancy, in 1846; and that he has lived since that time at the address he gave, in. gentlemanly style. He is described' as being^about six feet two in height,. and fortrthreeleara of age; • As soon as they received intimation of the assault, Lord John Russell' and Sir George Grey repaired to Buckingham Palace, and remained there: till. about nine o'clock. The Queen then went to the 'Royal Italian: Opera ; no doubt, with the good intention of giving the best assurance, how, little she, regardedwhat had occurred. The piece was Le Prop/site,, and the skating divertissement was fully occupying attention when her Majesty entered., She was net noticed at mice, but a cry of "The Queen!" Arising from two or three voices in the pit, the audience turned 7t and beheld her standing alone in front of her boil The performance was 1 / instantly stopped ; the national anthem was demanded by the standing audience; and in two or three seconds, as if by magic, the eniireeemPanY appeared on the stage. At first but few of the, audience knew what lad. happened; but the report rapidly flew round, and at the end of the hymn • 1, the demonstration was so general and, so full of heart and soul, that her Majesty replied with acknowledgments :till she must have been fairly. tired. The mark of violence was plainly visible on her forehead. Prince • Albert and the Prince of Priresia, with delicacy, left her Majesty alone during the first passages of her recognition and greeting; when they came- forward they were warmly ud1ted,1nthe loyal acknowledgments. Her
Majesty remained till aild'efton applauded theperffirrearice,
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