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.
