and his assistants. The show of banners and the varieties of mottoes and inscriptions were infinite. Some of the last gave a welcome to the Queen and Princesses, many alluded to the late Prince Consort, and Mr. Tennyson's line, "The silent father of our Kings to be," was frequently repeated. On one immense banner "the working men gave hearty welcome to their "beloved Queen." Owing to the fineness of the weather, which allowed Her Majesty to appear in an open carriage, and owing also to the length of the route and the narrowness of most of the streets, every man, woman, and child must have had "a good look" at their Sovereign; and the consideration shown by the Queen in affording them this opportunity was evidently appreciated most thoroughly.

The market-place, or "High Green," was the centre of attraction. The open slope of ground available here was not large, but it was probably made the most of. The treacherous weather of an English November made it, of course, indispensable that the ceremony of unveiling the statue should be performed under cover, and should be witnessed under cover. A sort of amphitheatre was therefore constructed at the expense of the corporation, covered with canvas, and capable of seating over 2000 people. Enclosed in this was the statue of the Prince Consort; and fronting this again, and also fronting the visitors in the amphitheatre, was a small pavilion, draped with crimson cloth, and tastefully decorated, to which the Queen and the Royal party were conducted. Upon Her Majesty's entrance all present rose and uncovered, a detachment of the 39th Regiment giving the salute, and a band playing the National Anthem. The Queen wore a black dress trimmed with crape and edged with dark fur; her bonnet was black, and beneath it she wore a white Marie Stuart cap. The Princesses wore ordinary morning costume. Prince Christian wore a Colonel's uniform, and over it the Order of the Garter. Her Majesty bowed repeatedly in answer to the cheering, and seemed profoundly impressed with the warmth of her reception. Just as the cheers were subsiding, and the business of the day was beginning, a voice called out, "God bless the Queen!" and thereupon the popular enthusiasm broke forth afresh, and seemed irrepressible. Prince and Princess Christian were also heartily welcomed; and Lord Derby received a special round of applause. When all had taken their places and order was restored, the Bishop of Lichfield offered up the following prayer:

Almighty God, who hast taught us in Thy Holy Word that the memory of the just is blessed, grant, we beseech Thee, that the memorial of Thy departed servant now set up in this place may be a remembrance of him for the good of us and of those who shall come after us.

"We pray Thee that, as he lived according to Thy holy will, not giving himself up to idleness or self-indulgence, but employing his great abilities and the opportunities of his high station in promoting the true welfare of all classes of people in this the land of

his adoption, so the example of his unblemished and noble character, and the virtues of an active and beneficent life, may stir up many to seek Thy glory and the good of their fellow-creatures in the several stations to which Thy providence has called them.

"We heartily thank Thee for the bright promise of life which through that honoured Prince Thou hast been pleased to bestow upon this nation. We bow humbly before the inscrutable wisdom by which it was ordained that his sun should go down while it was yet day with him, and we earnestly pray that both by Thy mercies and Thy judgment we may be turned nearer to Thee, and may be led to walk more and more in Thy faith and fear.

"We beseech Thee, O Lord, to pour upon our most gracious Queen and upon all her family the continual dew of Thy blessing. Give her that peace and those consolations which Thou alone canst give, and make her strong in Thy strength and happy in Thy favour. Endue her councillors with faithfulness and wisdom. Preserve her long to rule over a grateful people, and grant that there may be never wanting in her house one to sit upon the throne of this kingdom to rule after her example.

"All which we beg in the name and through the mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord.

"Our Father," &c.

The Recorder then read the following address:

"To THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.

"May it please your Majesty,-Your Majesty's faithful subjects, the Mayor, aldermen, and burgesses of Wolverhampton, crave permission to offer to your Majesty their humble thanks for your Majesty's gracious condescension in thus honouring this borough with your Royal presence.

"The inhabitants of the surrounding districts, of every class and degree-unequal in their fortunes, but equal in their loyalty -also assemble here to-day to present their homage to your Majesty, our beloved and gracious Sovereign.

Inspired by feelings of profound devotion to your Majesty's person, family, and throne, we presume to approach your Majesty, and each and all of us most heartily bid your Majesty welcome.

"We ask your Majesty's permission to welcome also their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess Christian and her Royal Highness the Princess Louisa, whose affectionate and dutiful attendance on your Majesty has obtained for us the distinguished honour of the presence of their Royal Highnesses.

"We pray that your Majesty will deign to honour with your gracious approval our earnest, though inadequate, attempt to testify our devotion to the memory of our late revered Prince, your Majesty's beloved and lamented consort. We desire to-day, and in this place, to acknowledge and commemorate the debt of gratitude we owe to His Royal Highness. Dwelling in a district

of your Majesty's dominions where the resources of science are constantly required to develope the productions of nature and adapt them for the use and benefit of man-where art is ever striving to add grace and beauty to material form, and where the necessities of a vast industrial population demand incessant efforts to ameliorate their physical condition, to educate their minds, and to teach them moral and religious truth-we have felt it to be our duty, as it has been our delight, to erect this statue of His Royal Highness, and thereby transmit to posterity a faithful representation of that illustrious Prince who, promoting science by his judicious patronage, and art by his enlightened precepts, also incited all men to all works of Christian duty by the force of his beneficent example.

"We now humbly pray your Majesty to unveil the statue, that henceforth your Majesty's loving subjects in this place may have ever present among them the image of the good Prince Consort, who, although prematurely taken away from us, still lives, and will ever live, in the imperishable remembrance of his virtues.

'May God preserve your Majesty, and send your Majesty health, peace, and consolation.

"Given under the corporate seal of Wolverhampton, this 30th day of November, 1866."

The Mayor having presented a copy of the address, which Her Majesty was graciously pleased to accept, Lord Derby handed to the Queen a sword with which the "accolade" was bestowed on the kneeling Mayor, and he thereupon rose up Sir John Morris. The knighthood thus publicly conferred called forth fresh enthusiasm for the new honour paid to the town in the person of its chief Magistrate. The following gentlemen were then presented to Her Majesty:-Mr. Charles Villiers, M.P., Mr. Weguelin, M.P., the Recorder, the Town Clerk, the Clerk of the Peace (Mr. H. Underhill), the mover and seconder of the address (Aldermen Ironmonger and Fowler), and the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Statue Subscription Committee (Aldermen G. L. Underhill and Hawksford). Her Majesty then commanded that the statue should be unveiled; and the coverings being withdrawn disclosed a very effective equestrian statue, in bronze, of the late Prince Consort. It is enough to say that as a work of art the statue is very creditable to the sculptor, Mr. Thorneycroft, and that the likeness is undoubted. An inscription on the pedestal simply records the name and style, with the date of the Prince's birth and death. Her Majesty and the Princesses, attended by Mr. Thorneycroft, walked round the statue, and the Queen expressed her satisfaction with the entire work.

Before leaving the pavilion, Her Majesty also desired the Mayor to tell her subjects in Wolverhampton that she was greatly pleased with her reception and with the loyal feeling which had been manifested. The procession then returned to the railway station

in the same order, but by another route, passing through Skinnerstreet, School-street, Waterloo-road, Stafford-street, Little Berrystreet, Prince's-street, and Queen-street. This route led through "the Irish quarter" of the town, in which there is a large Irish population. There had been some whispers of a possible Fenian demonstration here; but the loyalty of the poor people was as loud and apparently quite as sincere as in the other parts of the town, and their little display of evergreens and artificial flowers was in its way touching, for they evidently gave what they could afford, and gave it with right good will.

Among the company assembled in the amphitheatre to witness the principal ceremony of the day, were Lord Lichfield, the Earl of Shrewsbury, the Earl of Harrowby, the Earl of Bradford, Sir Robert Peel, the Bishop of Lichfield, the Hon. Arthur Wrottesley, Mr. Staveley Hill (Recorder of Banbury), Mr. Hartley, Mr. Hill, and Major Thorneycroft. All those who could make their way to the railway station did so, in order to witness the Queen's departure. Several rooms in the station were fitted up as refreshment and retiring rooms for the Royal party, and the resources of the Great Western Railway Company were aided by Mr. S. Cartwright, Mr. Hartley, and other gentlemen, who lent pictures and furniture. The plants in the station, of which there were many hundreds, were furnished by Mr. Lowe, nurseryman, who also provided the Queen's bouquet. At the station the Queen and their Royal Highnesses had luncheon; and when they came upon the platform to return to town, Lady Morris, in the name of the ladies of Wolverhampton, presented to the Princess Christian, in commemoration of the Royal visit, a very elegant bracelet, with the word "Souvenir" in large diamond letters. The Princess accepted the gift, and in a few words expressed her acknowledg

ment.

The return journey began at a quarter to four o'clock, and the Royal train, stopping at Banbury as before, arrived at Windsor in exactly three hours. At four o'clock a luncheon was given in the Corn Exchange, Sir John Morris presiding. The Earl and Countess of Lichfield, the Earl of Harrowby, the Earl of Dartmouth, Mr. Villiers, M.P., Mr. Weguelin, M.P., Major-General Sir John Garvock, and Major Anson were among the guests. Several congratulatory toasts were given, and the Mayor's health was proposed by Lord Lichfield. At night there was a general illumination. It was estimated that a quarter of a million people witnessed the Royal visit, but other accounts placed the number much higher. All must admit that Wolverhampton acquitted herself worthily in the reception given to the Queen.

A few days afterwards, at a meeting of the Wolverhampton Council, the Mayor read a letter, which, though marked "private," he had obtained, through Sir C. Grey (the writer), the permission of the Queen to read at that meeting. The letter was dated Windsor Castle, December 1, and, after stating that an official

answer to the address of the Corporation would be sent from the Home Office, said :—

"But Her Majesty is anxious that you should hear less formally, and, as it were, more directly from herself, how much she was gratified by the heartiness and cordiality of the reception she met with from every individual of the vast assemblage that yesterday filled your streets, and how deeply-how very deeply-she was touched by the proof which the day's proceedings afforded of the respect and affection entertained at Wolverhampton for the memory of her beloved husband. The arrangements for the preservation of order and to prevent confusion, were beyond all praise; but even these would hardly have been sufficient had you not been seconded by the excellent disposition of the people themselves. I have also been requested by Princess Christian to say how much she has been gratified by the kindness shown yesterday to herself and Prince Christian, and that she will have much pleasure in wearing the beautiful bracelet presented to her at the station as a remembrance of a most interesting and gratifying day.-Believe me yours very faithfully, "C. GREY."

Sir John Morris then read a letter he had received from Sir Thomas Biddulph, in which the Queen desired that her condolence might be conveyed to the wounded volunteer, and also the expression of Her Majesty's intention to settle upon him an annuity of 201., payable quarterly. The announcement was received with great enthusiasm by the council.

DECEMBER.

3. GREAT REFORM MEETING OF THE WORKING CLASSES OF LONDON.--A great demonstration of the Trades' Societies in favour of Parliamentary Reform was held in the grounds of Beaufort House, Kensington, by permission of the proprietor, Lord Ranelagh. Some apprehension had been felt when the intention to hold the meeting was announced, lest the assembling of so large a body of men, with the addition of a great multitude of spectators, as well as the vagabonds and pickpockets who are always ready to congregate whenever an opportunity for mischief is afforded, might cause a disturbance of the peace of the metropolis, and perhaps endanger life and property. These anxieties happily proved groundless. It was the original desire of those who organized the meeting that it should be held in Hyde-park, and an application was made to the Government for that purpose; but to this proposal the authorities opposed a firm refusal, at the same time intimating that there was no desire on the part of the Executive or of the Police