her sail, and there were innumerable small steamers, crowded with men,
all the way out into the ocean. Nothing seems to touch the English
nearer than this question of nautical superiority; and if we wish to hit
them to the quick, we must hit them there.

On Friday, at 7 P.M., I went to dine with the Mayor. It was a dinner
given to the Judges and the Grand Jury. The Judges of England, during
the time of holding an Assize, are the persons first in rank in the
kingdom. They take precedence of everybody else,--of the highest
military officers, of the Lord Lieutenants, of the Archbishops,--of the
Prince of Wales,--of all except the Sovereign, whose authority and
dignity they represent. In case of a royal dinner, the Judge would lead
the Queen to the table.

The dinner was at the Town Hall, and the rooms and the whole affair were
all in the most splendid style. Nothing struck me more than the footmen
in the city livery. They really looked more magnificent in their
gold-lace and breeches and white silk stockings than any officers of
state. The rooms were beautiful; gorgeously painted and gilded,
gorgeously lighted, gorgeously hung with paintings,--the plate was
gorgeous, and the dinner gorgeous in the English fashion.

After the removal of the cloth the Mayor gave various toasts, prefacing
each with some remarks,--the first, of course, the Sovereign, after which
"God save the Queen" was sung, the company standing up and joining in the
chorus, their ample faces glowing with wine, enthusiasm, and loyalty.
Afterwards the Bar, and various other dignities and institutions were
toasted; and by and by came the toast to the United States, and to me, as
their Representative. Hereupon either "Hail Columbia," or "Yankee
Doodle," or some other of our national tunes (but Heaven knows which),