The
Peers' seats are four rows of long sofas on each side, covered with red
morocco; comfortable seats enough, but not adapted to any other than a
decorously exact position. The woolsack is between these two divisions
of sofas, in the middle passage of the floor,--a great square seat,
covered with scarlet, and with a scarlet cushion set up perpendicularly
for the Chancellor to lean against. In front of the woolsack there is
another still larger ottoman, on which he might be at full length,--for
what purpose intended, I know not. I should take the woolsack to be not
a very comfortable seat, though I suppose it was originally designed to
be the most comfortable one that could be contrived, in view of the
Chancellor's much sitting.
The throne is the first object you see on entering the hall, being close
to the door; a chair of antique form, with a high, peaked back, and a
square canopy above, the whole richly carved and quite covered with
burnished gilding, besides being adorned with rows of rock crystals,--
which seemed to me of rather questionable taste.
It is less elevated above the floor than one imagines it ought to be.
While we were looking at it, I saw two Americans,--Western men, I should
judge,--one of them with a true American slouch, talking to the policeman
in attendance, and describing our Senate Chamber in contrast with the
House of Lords. The policeman smiled and ah-ed, and seemed to make as
courteous and liberal responses as he could.
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