GELERT.

'LEWELYN the Great, who resided near
the base of Snowdon, had a beautiful
dog named Gelert, which had been pre-
sented to him by King John in 1205.
One day, in consequence of the faithful
animal, which at night always ‘ senti-
nelled his master’s bed, not making his
appearance in the chase, Llewelyn re-
turned home very angry, and met the
dog, covered with blood, at the door of

ay the chamber of his child. Upon enter-
ing it he found the bed overturned and the coverlet
stained with gore. He called to his boy, but receiv-
ing no answer he rashly coneluded that he bad been
killed by Gelert, and in his anguish instantly thrust his
sword through the poor animal’s body. The Hon.
Robert Spencer has beautifully told the remainder of
the story :—

   

‘ His suppliant looks, as prone he fell,
No pity could impart ;
But still his Gelert’s dying yell
Passed heavy on his heart.

Aroused by Gelert’s dying yell,
Some slumb’rer waken’d nigh :
What words the parent’s joy could tell,
To hear his infant’s ery ?-

Nor scathe had he, nor harm, nor dread:
But the same couch beneath,

Lay a gaunt wolf all torn and dead,
Tremendous still in death,

Ah! what was then Llewelyn’s pain ?
For now the truth was clear :—

His gallant hound the wolf had slain,
To save Llewelyn’s heir.’

 

 

THE QUEEN’S GRANDMOTHER.

HE Princess Sophia Charlotte, or Caroline, of
Mecklenburg-Strelitz, was born in 1744, and in
1761, when she was only seventeen, King George the
Third declared his intention of demanding her hand.
That she was a spirited young lady may be gathered
from a letter of hers, written to the King of Prussia,
on the occasion of his army entering into the teri itories
of her cousin, the Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. It
is a capital letter, full of generous lamentation, and
containing an appeal which the king was unable to
resist, *

This letter was sent by the King of Prussia to
George the Third, and he was shrewd enough to be-
lieve the woman who could write such a letter was
likely to ‘ke a good wife. The end was, Princess
Careline c > over to England as King George’s
atlianced brius. Lord Anson was sent with a fleet
to the mouth of the Elbe, which served as a cuard of
nonour to the Charlotte yacht, a richly embellished
vessel, and manned by a picked crew in the Iding’s
uniform.

The little town of Strelitz was brimful of joy. The
Castle gardens were illuminated—cannon tent the
air as the wedding contract was signed, and ‘all went

 

 

| merry as a marriage-bell.” ‘The same scenes of gaiety

were enacted in every town where the Princess halted.
On the 28th of August the fleet put out to sea, but
three storms arose in quick succession, and it was not
until Sept. 6, that the bride-elect set foot on English
ground at Harwich. She slept the first night at
Lord Abercorn’s house, and the next day she was
met by the king’s coach and servants at Rumford.
The state-coach soon bore her to St. James’s Palace,
and there she was handed out by the Duke of York,
and led into the house by the King.

That same evening, about eicht o’clock, the mar-
riage ceremony was performed in the Palace Chapel
by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Dr. Boyce had
composed an anthem for the happy occasion.

On Sept. 22 the King and Queen were crowned with
great splendour at Westminster Abbey.

At nine o’clock they reached Westminster Hall,
where they sat at the upper end, in state chairs; and
ona table before them were placed many beautiful
things, among which was the Holy Bible. At eleven
o'clock a long and gorgeous procession was formed.
The king’s herb-woman led the way to the Abbey,
followed by six maidens, who strewed the floor with
sweet herbs. Then came headles and constables,
drummers and trumpeters, chaplains and sheriffs,
aldermen and judges, choristers and bishops, peeresses
and peers, coronet in hand, and at length walked
the Gre following her crown, which the Duke of
Bolton carried. Her train was borne by a princess,
assisted by six daughters of earls.

After the Queen came the King, preceded by his
regalia, which dukes and earls carried. The Bible,
the costliest treasure in all that glittering show, was
committed to the Bishop of Carlisle, who walked
immediately in front of the King, and who was flanked
right and left by a bishop, one carrying the chalice,
or cup for the Communion wine, the other bearing the
paten, or vee for the bread. Canopies of cloth of
gold were held over the heads of the King and Queen.
The length of the procession may be judged of from
the fact that it took two hours and a half to get the
various members of it seated in the Abbey. Andit
was half-past three o’clock when the Archbishop set
the crown on the King’s head.

After the coronation there was a mighty feast in
Westminster Hall. That noble room was lit up with

nearly 3000 wax-candles, and crowded with nobles

and gentlemen, all in the most superb dresses that
could be made.

In the midst of the feast the King’s champion,
completely armed, rode into the hall on a fine white
horse, which had been at the battle of Dettingen.

| The champion, whose name was Dymocke, challenced
2 ry , S

any one to tight who denied King George’s right to the .
English crown, and he then threw down his gauntlet,
or steel glove, on the floor, asa sign of his readiness
to uphold the King’s claim. No one picked up the
gauntlet, and the King, having drunk -to the Sa
pion from a richly-gilt bowl, sent him the costly
drinking-cup as a present.

When the feast was over, and the great eople
gone, the multitude were allowed to enter and clear
the place of cloths, plates, dishes, and everything else
indeed that could be carried off.

The great diamond fell out of the King’s crown as