arm-chair covered with old black velvet;" the whole surmounted by a
canopy also of old black velvet: not a sublime piece of upholstery; but
reckoned adequate. Friedrich mounted the three steps; stood before the
old chair, his Princes standing promiscuously behind it; his Ritters in
quantity, in front and to right and left, on the floor. Some Minister of
the Interior explains suitably, not at too great length, what they are
met for; some junior Official, junior but of quality, responded
briefly, for himself and his order, to the effect, "Yea, truly:" the
HULDIGUNGENS-URKUNDE (Deed of Homage) was then read by the proper Clerk,
and the Ritters all swore; audibly, with lifted hands. This is the
Ritter Huldigung.

His Majesty then steps out to the Balcony, for Oath and Homage of the
general Population. General population gave its oath, and "three great
shouts over and above." "ES LEBE DER KONIG!" thrice, with all their
throats. Upon which a shower of Medals, "Homage-Medals," gold and silver
(quantity not mentioned) rained down upon them, in due succession; and
were scrambled for, in the usual way. "His Majesty," they write, and
this is perhaps the one point worth notice, "his Majesty, contrary to
custom and to etiquette, remained on the Balcony, some time after the
ceremony, perhaps a full half-hour;"--silent there, "with his look fixed
attentively on the immeasurable multitude before the Schloss; and seemed
sunk in deep reflection (BETRACHTUNG):"--an almost awfully eloquent
though inarticulate phenomenon to his Majesty, that of those multitudes
scrambling and huzzaing there! [Preuss, _Thronbesteigung,_ p. 389.]

These, with the Cleve one, are all the Hornagings Friedrich was
personally present at; the others he did by Deputy, all in one day (2d
August); and without fuss. Scenic matters these; in which, except
where he can, as in the Konigsberg case, combine inspections and grave
businesses with them, he takes no interest. However, he is now, for the
sake chiefly of inspections and other real objects, bent on a Journey
to Cleve;--the fellow of that to Konigsberg: Konigsberg, Preussen, the
easternmost outlying wing of his long straggling Dominions; and then
Cleve-Julich, its counterpart on the southwestern side,--there also,
with such contingencies hanging over Cleve-Julich, it were proper to
make some mustering of the Frontier garrisons and affairs. [In regard to
the Day of HULDIGUNG at Cleve, which happily is not of the le