Letter from Lord Munster, London, to Mary Georgiana Dawson-Damer, 1831 September 9 : autograph manuscript signed.

Relating details of the Coronation of his father, William IV; saying "Thank Heaven, the Coronation is over, and for your consolation, my dear Mrs. Damer, I can assure you it was an exact repetition of the last one only the Musick was feeble, if not bad and the King's Robes only cost (to Georges cost) 1400£ instead of 24000£! I only arrived in Town on Monday and found the Palace and its inmates in a glorious Battle - But for the rain a most ridiculous Rehearsal had been ordered on Wednesday - The Wall separating the Kings Mews from Buckingham House Gardens, was pulled down & the King was to stand in the Garden & see all the Coaches & Horses & Footmen in their State Liveries go through this absurd & childish Rehearsal! Fortunately, it rained, or they tell me, if the State Coach which weighs Seven Ton, had once got on the wet Turf or Gravel, it would have so sunk, that no power under an eighty Horse steamer, could have drawn it back into the Stable - The King however went over [to] the Abbey to see the local[e], and in so doing caught a Cold, which showed itself in a swelled face and it was his left cheek, no doubt it was intended providentially, in order to offer a larger surface to his Liege Peers, when they did Homage. All London was on the move at six o'clock and the arrangements for arriving at the Abbey excellent and no trouble or difficulty arose throughout the day...The arrangements in the Interior were the same as the last, only there was a second chair for the Queen on a stage, a step lower than the King's - about 150 Peers & 70 to 80 Peeresses were present and the Seats of the latter looked very well, like a parterre of Tulips, only the Duchess of St. Albans in the front looked like a full blown Peony;" relating details of other guests; continuing "When the Peers did Homage, the Duke of Wellington was loudly & spontaneously cheered - which was all very well, as the great Captain of the Age though contrary to etiquette, but the silly Whigs, made it political by cheering Lord Grey - and then some Fools cheered Brougham & it became ridiculous, by the attorneys Clerks & Sheriffs officers, who had got smuggled into the galleries, applauding the Law Lords! I had not embraced (I find that is the correct expression) the King, since my Birth-day when ten years old, on which occasion he told me, I was no longer a Boy & that He did not like kissing (I beg pardon) Men - he told me at the time he was not at all tired - The Sermon of the Bishop of London was good and impressive & had the advantage of only lasting 17 or 18 minutes, whereas, if you recollect, on the former occasion it detained us near an hour; describing the distribution of Medals and the procession afterwards; commenting on his brother Frederick saying "Frederick, who I think foolishly had the charge of the Procession & which formerly was done by the Head Constable of Westminster arranged it well but in his anxiety to be as fine as possible was nearly killed - He had put a Persian Bridle on his Horse, so heavy with Silver, that it absolutely dropped off & He went along Pall Mall & Charing Cross, like Jonny Gilpin, till fortunately stopped without an accident;" discussing honors given to Lord Erroll that he believes were unfair; adding that he saw Mrs. Fitzherbert "...not looking ill but complaining, & she said you had gone to Cahir...I have such a dreadful headache, I hardly know what to do & nothing but my supposing you would like to have the earliest news from the heart of action, makes me write today."