Birthday: George III of Great Britain

George III was the reigning monarch of Great Britain during most of Walter Scott’s lifetime,

ruling from 1760 until his death in 1820.  George has been mentioned in more than one

previous post.  In remembrance of his birthday (June 4, 1738), today's posting includes the

following description of the annual birthday celebration in Edinburgh from Henry Cockburn’s

“Memorials of his Time".

Another [test of loyalty] was keeping the King's birth-day. This day 

was the 4th of June, which, for the 60 years that the 

reign of George the III lasted, gave an annual holiday 

to the British people, and was so associated in their 

habits with the idea of its being a free day, that they 

thought they had a right to it even after his Majesty 

was dead. And the established way of keeping it in 

Edinburgh was, by the lower orders and the boys 

having a long day of idleness and fireworks, and by the 

upper classes going to the Parliament House, and drink- 

ing the royal health in the evening, at the expense of 

the city funds. The magistrates who conducted the 

banquet, which began about seven, invited about 1500 

people. Tables, but no seats except one at each end, 

were set along the Outer House. These tables, and the 

doors and walls, were adorned by flowers and branches, 

the trampling and bruising of which increased the gen- 

eral filth. There was no silence, no order, no decency. 

The loyal toasts were let off, in all quarters, according 

to the pleasure of the Town Councillor who presided 

over the section, without any orations by the Provost, 

who, seated in his robes, on a high chair, was supposed 

to control the chaos. Respectable people, considering 

it all as an odious penance, and going merely in order 

to show that they were not Jacobins, came away after 

having pretended to drink one necessary cup to the 

health of the reigning monarch. But all sorts, who 

were worthy of the occasion and enjoyed it, persevered 

to a late hour, roaring, drinking, toasting, and quarrel- 

ling. They made the Court stink for a week with the 

wreck and the fumes of that hot and scandalous night. 

It was not unusual at old Scotch feasts for the guests, 

after drinking a toast, to toss their glasses over their 

heads, in order that they might never be debased by 

any other sentiment. The very loyal on this occasion 

availed themselves of this privilege freely, so that frag- 

ments of glass crunched beneath the feel of the walk. 

The infernal din was aggravated by volleys of musketry, 

fired very awkwardly by the Town Guard, amidst the 

shouts of the mob, in the Parliament Close.  The rabble, 

smitten by the enthusiasm of the day, were accustomed, 

and permitted, to think license their right, and exercised 

their brutality without stint. Those who were aware of 

what might take place on the street, retired from the 

banquet before the spirit of mischief was fully up. 

Those who came out so late as ten or even nine of the 

evening, if observed and unprotected, were fortunate if 

they escaped rough usage, especially if they escaped 

being … made to "Hide the Stang" a 

painful and dangerous operation, and therefore a great 

favorite with the mob. I forget when this abominable 

festival was given up. Not, I believe, till the poverty, 

rather than the will, of the Town Council was obliged 

to consent.