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TakREWaS aeother levee at St. James's Palace on Wednesday. Her Majesty and Ptince Albert arrived in the usual state at two o'clock. The Duke of Cambridge, the Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Prince Ernest of Hesse- Plelippsthal, and Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar, were present. The attendance and the presentations were numerous; but offer nothing for particular notice. Her Majesty had a dinner-party at Buckingham Palace on Monday. Among the guests were, the Due De Brogue and other diplomatic gentlemen, the Earl of Aberdeen, the Duke of Norfolk, the Earl Talbot, Lord and Lady Claude Ha- milton.
Last night the Queen gave a splendid state ball, at Buckingham Palace, the first this season. Most of the royal personages in town were present; and the total number of noble and distinguished guests exceeded a thousand. The assem- blage exhibited every kind of official, diplomatic, knightly, and military COS- tame—every variety and brilliancy that female fancy. and English wealth could devise. The company began to arrive at nine o'clock; about ten o'clock, the i
Queen opened the ball, n a quadrille, with the Hereditary Grand Duke of Meek- lenlitmg-Strelitz. Many a young heart, struck with dismay by the dreadful re- port that the Queen had forbidden the polka to be danced in her presence, will be relieved to learn that the tale was a libel on the Royal taste and hearty morals: that most insphiting dance was danced—there is even a "Palace Polka"; and waltzes also lent their delights to the evening.
The Qneen gave audience to Sir Robert Peel on Saturday.
Her Majesty and Prince Albert went to the Italian Opera on Saturday and Tuesday. Several other Royal dilettanti were present on both evenings. On Thursday, her Majesty and the Prince went to Drury Lane Theatre in state. The procession consisted of eight carriages and an escort of Life Guards. The per- formances were William Tell and Clare The Royal pair were much cheered, both on entering and leaving the theatre.
The Queen and Prince Albert, attended by the suite, went to Woolwich on Tuesday, and thence to Blackwell, to see the Great Britain steam-ship. They left the Palace at half-past two, and returned by a quarter to five o'clock. The Dutehess of Kent gave a dinner-party at Clarence House, on Wednesday; the number of guests comprising the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge, the Here- ditary Grand Duke and Dutchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Prince Ernest of Flesse- Philippsthal, and Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar. Afterwards there wa.s an evening-party, at which the Queen, Prince Albert, and the Royal Family were preemit The Queen Dowager paid a visit at Buckingham Palace on Monday, and staid to lunch with the Queen and Prince Albert.
The Queen received visits yesterday from the Queen Dowager, the Datchess of Kent, and the Marchioness of Douglas (Princess Mary of Bad-en).
Visits have been exchanged between the Queen Dowager, theDutchess of Kent, the Duke and Dutchess and Princess Mary of Cambridge, the Hereditary Grand Dekaand Dutchese of Meeklenburg-Strelitz, the Dowager Dutchess of Baden, and the Dutchess of Gloucester.
The Dowager Dutche-ss of Baden visited Sir Robert and Lady-Peel on Saturday.
Yesterday was the Dutchess of Gloucester's birth-day. The Queen and Prince Albert, and a number of Royal personages, visited the Dutehess, to congratulate her on the return of her natal day and her complete recovery front the cold with which she had been for some time indisposed. In the evening, the Dutchess dined at Cambridge House.
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