be court.
THE incidents at Court have been various this week, and some of them possessing public interest On Saturday morning, the Queen walked in the gardens of Buck- ingham Palace, accompanied by her children. In the mean time, Prince Albert had gone to preside as Lord Warden of the Dutchy of Cornwall, in a Court for the Datchy at Somerset House ; and, assisted by the Lord Chancellor and some of the Judges, he sat there to hear an appeal from the Vice-Warden' from eight o'clock till two ; when he returned home. At three, the Queen and the Prince, accompanied by the infants and the suite, left the Palace for Claremont ; travelling in the usual mode.
On Monday., the party at that retreat was reinforced by the arrival from the Continent of Count Mensdorff, General in the Austrian service, uncle of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and brother-in-law to the Dutchess of Kent; together with his four sons, Count Hugh, Lieutenant- Colonel in the Austrian service, Count Alphonso, Major, Count Alex- ander, and Count Arthur, Captains, in the same service. They were met at Woolwich by Captain Francis Seymour, Groom in Waiting on Prince Albert; and were conveyed to Buckingham Palace in two of the Royal carriages and four. There they were received by the Master of the Horse, the Vice-Chamberlain, and the Master of the House- hold. The Dutchess of Kent arrived at the Palace soon after ; and, having paid their respects to the Dutchess at her own house in the Palace, the Counts proceeded to Claremont, in two of the Royal car- riages and four.
The Queen's Birthday was privately celebrated on Tuesday. The band of the Coldstream Guards serenaded her Majesty at an early hour; playing among other things a Germ ,n air composed by Prince Albert. The Datchess of Kent arrived from town before nine o'clock, to break- fast ; and the Royal party afterwards walked in the grounds. The Dutchess and Prince Albert, says the Post, prepared "a little surprise" for the Queen : the two children suddenly appeared before their Royal mother dressed as peasants of the Tyrol. In the afternoon, the Queen had a dinner-party.
The Queen and her immediate family returned to Buckingham Palace, in the usual order, on Wednesday ; the Counts Mensdorff passing to Epsom, to see the races, and coming to town in time for the dinner-party in the evening. The Queen and Prince visited the Queen Dowager on Wednesday, accompanied by the Counts Mensdorff.
The grand ball at the Italian Opera-house drew the Royal party in the evening. The object of the ball was, not only to give temporary relief to the Spitalfields weavers, but to provide a fund for the erection of a school in which their children may be taught the arts of design. The pit of the theatre was boarded over on a level with the stage ; the stage was enclosed with hangings of pale yellow ; and the house was hung with pale yellow, bright red, and dark blue. A splendid pavilion for the Royal party arose in the middle of the house, on Corinthian pillars of white and gold, hung with white and gold, and lined with crimson velvet, bearing the Queen's cipher, surrounded with laurel in crystal drops. The arrangements were scarcely completed, the last stroke of the hammer had not long passed into silence, the last ladder had been hurried out of sight but a brief space, when the already as- sembled concourse was hushed at the arrival of Majesty. The com- pany began to gather at half-past nine, and continued to pour in till half. past eleven. The Queen and Prince arrived in state, with the Counts their guests and a numerous suite, in six carriages, soon after ten o'clock. The Queen wore a diadem of diamonds, with a Maltese cross, and the insignia of the Garter ; the Prince a Field-Marshal's uniform, with several orders. At first, the company observed a respectful silence ; but when the band struck up the National Anthem, the theatre re- sounded with cheers. The Dutchess of Kent, the Cambridge family, and the Dutchess of Gloucester were present ; and the Duke of Wel-
lington came about eleven o'clock, dressed as Constable of the Tower, and joined the party in the pavilion. There were several fancy-dresses; two persons appearing as North American Indians ; but the assumption of fancy-costume was by no means universaL The display of jewellery, however, was brilliant. The crowd prevented dancing, except in a privileged circle near the pavilion, until a late hour ; and it was there- fore kept up still later. The Royal guests retired at midnight.
The Queen Dowager continues to improve in health. On Monday afternoon, her Majesty, accompanied by the Duke Bernard and the Dutchess Ida of Saxe Weimar and the Princesses of Saxe Weimar, visited the Zoological Gardens in the Regent's Park. Her Majesty and the Duke and Dutchess also took an airing in an open carriage and, four in the Parks.
The Quzen Dowager has signified her intention of being present at the great choral meeting of Mr. Hullah's classes, in Exeter Hall, on. the 4th of June.
The Duke and Dutchess of Saxe Meiningen arrived at Marlborough House yesterday, on a visit to the Queen Dowager. Visits were paid at Marlborough House, in the course of the day, by the Queen, the Dutchess of Kent, and the Dutchess of Gloucester.
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