like truth as regards her,
but her beauty and engaging manners will, it is thought by many, gain
for her, for a time at least, a greater amount of popularity than his
friends who now blame the marriage expect. That he is passionately in
love with her no one doubts, and his countenance on late occasions, as
well as yesterday, wore a radiant and joyous expression very unusual.
She, on the contrary, showed a considerable amount of nervousness at
the Civil Marriage, and was as pale as death yesterday--however, even
with the high and determined spirit she is supposed to have, this
might be expected. Lady Cowley had been kind enough to send us an
invitation, of which we were tempted to avail ourselves.[3] Nothing
could be more splendid than the decorations of the Cathedral--velvet
and ermine--gold and silver--flags and hangings of all colours were
combined and harmonised with the splendid costumes of the Clergy,
the uniforms, civil and military, and the magnificent dresses of the
ladies. The greatest mistake was the _conflict_ of lights--the windows
not having been darkened, though countless thousands of wax candles
were lighted. The music was very fine.... The object of our neighbours
seemed to be to scan and criticise the dress of the Bride, and the
wonderful penetration and accuracy of their eagle glances was to us
something incredible! Certainly, though unable ourselves at such a
distance to appreciate the details of her dress or the expression of
her countenance, we saw her distinctly enough to be able to say that
a more lovely _coup d'[oe]il_ could not be conceived. Her beautifully
chiselled features and marble complexion, her nobly _set-on head_,
her exquisitely proportioned figure and graceful carriage were most
striking, and the whole was like a Poet's Vision! I believe she is
equally beautiful when seen close, but at a distance at which we saw
her the effect was something more than that of a lovely picture, it
was aerial, ideal. On the classically shaped head she wore a diamond
crown or diadem, round her waist a row of magnificent diamonds to
correspond, and the same as trimming round the "basques" of her gown.
Then a sort of cloud or mist of transparent lace enveloped her,
which had the effect of that for which, when speaking of the hills in
Scotland, Princess Hohenlohe could find no English word, "_Duft_." I
hope your Royal Highness will not think me very much carried by what
pleases the eye. I felt all the while