and Barham. The Maids of Honour bore names once equally well known in the
_Court Circular_, while the office brought with it visions of old
historic Maids prominent in Court gossip, and revealed to this day
possibilities of sprightliness reined in by Court etiquette, and innocent
little scrapes condoned by royal graciousness and kindness. The Maids of
Honour at the Queen's coronation were the Honourable Misses Margaret
Dillon, Cavendish, Lister, Spring Rice, Harriet Pitt, Caroline Cocks,
Matilda Paget, and Murray. One has heard and read less of the Women of the
Bed-chamber, noble ladies also, no doubt, but by the time the superb
procession reached them, with the gathering up of the whole in Goldsticks,
Captains of the Royal Archers, of the Yeomen of the Guard, of the
Gentlemen-at-Arms, though pages and coronets still abounded, the strained
attention could take in no more accessories, but was fain to return to the
principal figure in the pageant, and dwell with all eyes on her.

"The Queen looked extremely well, and had an animated countenance." The
scene within the choir on her entrance was so gorgeous, that, it is said,
even the Turkish Ambassador, accustomed we should say to gorgeousness,
stopped short in astonishment. As the Queen advanced slowly toward the
centre of the choir, she was received with hearty plaudits, everybody
rising, the anthem, "I was glad," sung by the musicians, ringing through
the Abbey. "At the close of the anthem, the Westminster boys (who occupied
seats at the extremity of the lower galleries on the northern and southern
sides of the choir) chanted _Vivat Victoria Regina._ The Queen moved
towards a chair placed midway between the chair of homage and the altar, on
the carpeted space before described, which is called the theatre." Here she
knelt down on a faldstool set for her before her chair, and used some
private prayers. She then took her seat in the chair and the ceremonial
proceeded.