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 ADELAIDE. 529 gen, to be present at the nuptials of its duke, the young brother of Adelaide ; but the festivities there were abruptly brought to a close by the death of her uncle, and shortly afterwards by that of another more distant member of her family. The death of the Duke of York also at this period, while it gave to the Duke and Duchess of Clarence an increased importance in the eyes of the nation, added to the gloom of mourning into which they were so suddenly thrown. They resided a good deal at this epoch at the Chateau a Quatre Tours at Ems, a favorite spot with the duke, because its scenery reminded him of that of the river St. Lawrence, in North America. The birthday of the Duchess of Clarence in the- year 1826 was celebrated with great honors. Eighteen princes and princesses, all related to her, were present at the banquet, a song was composed in her honor and sung by the peasants, and the peasant girls in token of affection decked her with garlands, amid all sorts of festivities. In 1827, William as Lord High Admiral was much occupied in inspecting the ports and arsenals of the kingdom, and during this time Adel- aide made a tour among the English nobility, from whom she received a cordial welcome. The death of George the Fourth in 1830 called Adelaide to the throne of Great Britain as Queen Consort. A detail of the pageants with which the accession of -William the Fourth, the Sailor-king, and his queen, Adelaide, were attended, will not be expected in this place. Parliament immediately testified its satisfaction by the munificent vote of £100,000 to the queen in the event of her surviving his majesty, and Bushey, and Marlborough House were assigned as her royal residences for life. The royal couple acknowledged this ample provision in person in the House of Lords. The king and queen together visited the Tower in great state, and among their earliest public appearances were two visits to Greenwich Hospital. They walked in procession over the new London bridge at its open- ing, and showered medals among the crowds, who received them with acclamations. In 1832 they opened the new bridge at Staines, and more than once presented themselves at the cele- bration of Eton Montem. While on the course at Ascot to- gether, a man named Denis Collins hurled a stone at the King, occasioning much alarm and equal danger to the Queen. The great political feature of their regn, the passing of the Reform Act in the same year, cannot be omitted in this place,