John Galt was in London at the time of the Coronation of George IV in July 1821 and gave a very down-to-earth account of the proceedings in Literary Life and Miscellanies.
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| George IV |
“The instant that the performance was finished, the
spectators all rose and became as fluent in their talk as the scattering
audience after a state play; no vestige of solemnity remaining, if during the
exhibition they experienced any.”
Galt goes on to describe the free-for-all that took place after the official ceremony and coronation dinner.
“If anything were calculated to inspire laughable contempt
for the melodrama of earthly grandeur, it was the hurly-burly in Westminster
Hall subsequent to the King’s departure.
I can neither repress my derision at the commotion, nor conceive why it
was permitted, though “the swinish multitude” were in court dresses. But there is a stronger infection in folly
than in wisdom, and, though I despised the pastime, I could not resist joining
in the game. In the plunder of the
tables I got hold of a golden Britannia as big as a doll, with which I made
proud a Bishop’s lady and gave to another “gorgeous dame” of high degree, a
really beautiful basket of crystal, and bestowed gilded vessels on longing
ladies. But what added to the delight
was the discovery that all the magnificence was as artificial as
courtesies! The goblets and imagery, the
plates and epergnes, at the coronation festival of the greatest monarch on the
earth, were gilded wood and pewter trenchers!
This, however, was wise, and showed the improved intelligence, alias the
political economy of the age; but wherefore cheat the eye? At the time, the coronation afforded me
inconceivable pleasure, for I could only see things, bating the occasion,
worthy to provide heart-easing laughter; the remembrance, however, like many
other sweets, sours in the rumination.
It did more to lessen my respect for the tricks of state than anything I
ever witnessed."
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| Newspaper report about the events. |
In The Steamboat, published in 1821 in instalments in Blackwoods Edinburgh Magazine and in book form in 1822, John Galt describes the coronation through the eyes of his main character, Thomas Duffle who travelled from Glasgow to London to see the event. Mr Duffle takes his place in the grandstands to witness the arrival of the lords and ladies attending the King and then the arrival of King George IV himself -
“who entered with a marvellous fasherie, as I thought it, of formalities … for I could see he was now and then like to lose his temper at the stupidity of some of the attendants. But it’s no new thing for kings to be ill served; and our Majesty might by this time, I think, have been used to the misfortune, considering what sort of men his minister are.”
“But the best part of the ploy was after his Majesty had
retired, for, when he departed, everyone one, according to immemorial
privilege, ran to plunder the table”, including Mr Duffle, who “was content
with a piece of a most excellent bacon ham, and a cordial glass or two of
claret wine, and a bit seed-cake.”
John Galt had a wonderful eye for detailing the absurd and seeing through the conventions and characters of his day.
