ROYAL GALA FESTIVAL, 1830. At the close of the first Shakspearean Club Jubilee, it was publicly announced that a triennial celebration of the Great Poet's Birth-day would take place. Accordingly about the autumn of last year, the Committee began to take the necessary steps for the furtherance of this design; and finding, from the great satisfaction given by their preceding Fete that they were likely to receive very general countenance and support, it was decided that the forth-coming Pageant should be brought out upon as brilliant and extensive a scale as possible. The applications from the Committee to many distinguished individuals in various parts of the Kingdom, were met with a warmth of feeling and liberality of spirit alike honourable to themselves and encouraging to the enlarged views of the Club. Emboldened by this success it was determined that Royalty itself should be solicited; and through the medium of the Right Honourable Robert Peel, a Petition, requesting his Majesty's Patronage on this interesting occasion was laid before the King. As might naturally have been expected from the most accomplished Monarch of the age, himself a lover and indefatigable fosterer of Literature and the Fine Arts, an immediate assent, conveyed in the most gracious terms was forwarded to the anxious expectants. Thus honoured, the Gala was at once invested with first-rate importance; and the notice and contributions of the great and opulent, quickly followed. The Club very properly assumed the title of "The Royal Shakspearean Club;" and re-doubled their exertions to render the "Jubilce" every way deserving of the exalted patronage it had received. We now proceed to give the interesting particulars of this Royal Gala Festival, and in so doing, it will be our E endeavour as succinctly as possible, to detail every fact at all worthy of notice, but without descending to those minutia which would serve no other purpose than to swell out the size of the pamphlet and tire the patience of the reader. First Day, Friday, April 23d, 1830. A dull and extremely unpropitious morning was ushered in by salutes of cannon from the Bancroft at a very early hour; these were immediately answered by similar discharges from off the heights of Wellcombe, the residence of George Lloyd, Esq. (an enthusiastic admirer of the Poet,) and the hoisting of various splendid flags and ensigns in different parts of the Borough, were met by the unfurling of a noble Banner, "proudly waving in the wind" from the mount near that Gentleman's residence. The bells also of the Collegiate Church struck off "sweet music;" and as early as 6 o'clock the "busy hum of men," became general. Notwithstanding the unwelcome showers that continued to fall, all was bustle and activity, strangers pouring in from every quarter; so that at 9 o'clock all the roads leading to the town were thronged with people, some on foot, others on horseback, and carriages of every description. The streets now presented the spectacle of anxious groups, discussing the probable state of the weather; and the dashing appearance of different Guards and Coachmen, Postboys, &c. decorated with a profusion of Jubilee Riband, the rattling of vehicles of every description-and the sounds of itinerant minstrelsy, gave, even at this early hour, an animating appearance to the otherwise gloomy prospect. About 10 o'clock the persons destined to take characters in the Procession had met in the "Tiring Rooms," at the Guild-hall and although the "pitiless storm" encreased rather than diminished, the dressers were in full requisition. By 12 o'clock the arraying of the characters was completed-and they were conveyed in carriages to the Royal Pavilion in the Rother-street, from whence the Procession was announced to start. Here a great number of individuals attended a Salon a Manger, provided in elegant profusion, by "Mine Host of the Falcon," and the different parts of the splendid Pageant were classically grouped within the interior of this elegant structure. To this grand and picturesque Public Break fast the admission was half-a-crown, and from the observations we were enabled to make, at least, 200 individuals were present at one time. At half-past 12 the weather* was still bad, and notwithstanding the whole of the characters were completely ready-and the serious disappointment it would occasion to the thousands of spectators already assembled, the Committee in despair, had issued orders for a Postponement of the Pageant to the following day-when, in a moment, "as if by magic wand produced," the heavy clouds dispersed far and wide-and the cheering rays of the sun broke forth with reviving splendour, which con tinued for several hours. THE PAGEANT. "Rapt from the glance of mortal eye, "Say, bursts thy Genius to the world of light?— "Or Native fields' with rapid flight? ************* * "O'er the bleak deserts' unfrequented round "Seest thou where Nature treads the deep'ning gloom,- "Hear'st thou the joyous music wind along "Thy Pageants path form'd by thy Votaries' throng?" From Ogilvie's "Ode to the Genius of Shakspeare.” This dubious state of the weather prevented the Committee from exhibiting on this day the whole detail of the Pageant, to avoid therefore unnecessary repetition, the Pageant is described as originally intended, and it also appeared on the Monday following-that day being beautifully fine. Exactly at two o'clock the sounds of a royal salute from the cannon-the firing of bells-and the shouts of the multitude announced to eager expectants that the Procession had left the Pavilion-from whence it issued in the following order : MR. ASHFIELD, On horseback, attired in the dress of a Chief Constable in Queen Elizabeth's time. MR. PALMER, [Of 38, Tavistock-street, Covent Garden,] Bearing a truncheon surmounted with the Crest of Shakspeare. THE BAND, Belonging to the Second Regiment of Warwickshire Local Militia, in their uniforms, playing the National Anthem of “ Rule Britannia,” and succeeded by "The Warwickshire Lads," "God save the King," "Rule Great Shakspeare," and other popular tunes. A BANNER (Presented to the Club by Mr. Isaac Pemberton, of Worcester,) On which the Arms of Shakspeare and the Borough of Stratford are beautifully embroidered. THE COMMITTEE of the SHAKSPEAREAN CLUB,* On horseback, headed by the Worshipful the MAYOR; each wearing a scarf of rainbow-coloured riband, and a medal suspended from the neck by the same silken material, The Committee consists of the following Members of the Club :~Mr. Edward Ashwin ;—Mr. John Allen ;-Mr. Thos Adkins ;—Mr. John Adkins ;-Mr. Thos. Lowe of Binton;-Mr. Edward Chattaway; -Mr. Crump, Birmingham ;—Mr. Wm. Clarke, Wellesbourne;—Mr. Jas. George Treasurer ;-Mr. Samuel Gwinnett, Secretary ;-Mr. Thos. Gill ;-Mr. George Harborne ;-Mr. Thos. Hyde ;-Mr. John Hardy;-Mr. Wm. Horton; Mr. John Hiron;-Mr. Henry Harvey; -Mr Lyster;-John Mills, Esq.;-- Mr. John Phipps;-Mr. Isaac Pemberton, Worcester ;—Mr. F. Raymond;—Mr. Wm. Sheldon ;— Mr. Sharp, Leamington:-Mr Fred. Tasker;-Mr Thomas Umbers; -Mr. Wm Umbers;- Mr. J. Ward ;- Mr. Benjamin Ward;—Mr. Geo. Wright;-Mr. Charles Wright, London-Those names in the Roman letter, rode in the Procession with the Mayor-T. Ashwin, Esq. ST. GEORGE, THE TUTELAR SAINT OF ENGLAND, Seated on a grey horse, richly caparisoned, with a plume of feathers on his head. The gallant Champion, Mr. KEAN, jun. was clad in a complete suit of polished steel armour, composed of rich plates; and wore a steel helmet, over which majestically waved a plume of ostrich feathers. ST. GEORGE'S BANNER, Borne by his Esquire, who had on a suit of half armour with a scarlet tunic, and rode a milk-white steed, richly caparisoned.—(Represented by Goodwin, of Stratford.) THE BANNER OF THE BOROUGH, Borne by F. Findon & J. Paine. MELPOMENE, The Tragic Muse; with the Dagger and Poisoned Chalice in her hand. She was attired in a dress of black and gold, and seated in a dark coloured car, decorated with the usual insignia, and drawn by Four Fiends in black and gold dresses, on which were conspicuously worked the heads of hydras and snakes. The Muse was represented by Miss Harvey, of Mr. Raymond's company; and the Fiends by Wm. WATKINS, THOS. WEST, WM. WEST, and WM. TAYLOR. A Banner, (borne by Henry Cook) inscribed Clothed in a blanket, with a crown of straw, wreathed with flowers of the white poppy, and a cow-horn hanging by his side. (Admirably represented by Mr. Timperley, of Warwick.) F |