engage his attention. Soon after the retirement of the Prince, the plumbers attending for that purpose, proceeded to solder the lead coffin. The removal of the state coffin from London to Claremont had been very judiciously arranged; it left the house of Messrs. France and Banting, in Pall-mall, between five and six o'clock, in a hearse drawn by four horses, followed by a mourning coach, in which were the outside urn, and the outside coffin for the infant; another mourning coach followed, in which were Mr. Banting, one of the royal undertakers, and his assistants. They proceeded on the road in a private manner, unnoticed, and only halted for a short time at Kingston Bottom, to rest and feed the horses. They arrived a little before ten o'clock, and entered the park and the house by the back entrance, in the most solemn silence. The state coffin was then conveyed to the bedroom, where the remains of the Princess were deposited in the inner mahogany coffin, enclosed in a lead coffin; they were lifted into the state coffin, which is of mahogany, covered with the richest crimson velvet, ornamented in the most splendid and elegant style, and far surpassing any thing of the kind that has ever been executed. The handles, which have on former occasions been only resembling those of trunk handles, have been executed in a manner to have the effect of very handsome ornaments, highly finished, and embossed with very superior workmanship. The urn is ornamented in a similar manner. The coffin of the infant is covered with crimson velvet, the ornaments of silver; those of the Princess's coffin and urn are highly gilt. The plate on the Princess's coffin was engraved by Mr. Gilbert, the King's goldsmith, in Cockspur-street. The spectators of this mournful and heart-rending performance were the Baron Hardenbroke, Sir R. Gardiner, Colonel Addenbrook, Lady J. Thynne, Mrs. Campbell, Mrs. Lewis, Mrs. Papenbourg, &c. The great object in facilitating this solemn performance, was to have the whole completed before eleven o'clock, being the hour at which his Serene Highness nightly visited the remains of his beloved Princess after her decease, to weep over them, previous to his retiring to his bed. Happily, the whole was accomplished before the clock struck eleven, and the persons employed in the operations retired from view; so that when the Prince entered the room, he only beheld one coffin substituted for another. The regular bulletins respecting Prince Leopold were now discontinued; the general answer to the numerous inquiries after his health, announcing the gradual return of his mind to a state of tranquillity. Divine service was regularly performed by Dr. Short, as usual. The Duke of York paid another visit about this time to the Prince. Viscount Melville, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Mr. Canning, likewise paid visits of condolence. It was a very remarkable circumstance that Messrs. France and Banting, who conducted this funeral, are the same establishment which has conducted the funerals of the Royal Family for upwards of seventy years past, during which time there has been always one of Mr. France's relatives in the firm of the house. THE URN FOR THE HEART. This is a simple square case of Honduras mahogany, covered, like the coffin, with rich Genoa crimson velvet, and the sides and top formed into pannels, with gilt nails. There are also cornerplates, bearing a crown, the initials of the Princess, and two palm branches. On the lid is a gilt plate bearing a crown, the letters P. C. A., and the date of her Royal Highness's death, 6th November, 1817. It is lined with white satin. THE COFFIN OF THE INFANT. This, like that of the parent, is of mahogany, covered with crimson velvet, and formed into pannels, with white plated nails. The lining is of white satin. The handles are also of plated metal. On the lid is a plated sheet of metal, on which is engraved the following inscription: The still-born male Infant Royal and Serene Highnesses Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg. November 6, 1817. |