feet, and by nearly one half in cubic contents. Here sculpture is picturesquely grouped with luxuriant exotic vegetation. Groups illustrate the ethnology, zoology, and botany of the Old and New Worlds; and at each end is a vast fountain. In the great transept are the works of French and Italian, German and English, Greek and Roman sculptors; and models of celebrated ancient and modern edifices. Throughout the Building are galleries for the exhibition of objects of industry and fine art; and courts representing the architecture and sculpture of each nation-Egyptian, Greek, Roman Pompeian, Alhambra, Assyrian, Byzantine, and Romanesque; German, English, French, and Italian mediæval ; Renaissance, Elizabethan, Italian, &c. The Crystal Palace, loftier than the London Monument, is placed at the head of the Landscape Garden and Park, planned by Sir Joseph Paxton; and here are gigantic fountains, planned and executed by the same master-artist. The several departments of the edifice, to which Picture Galleries have been added, are detailed in a series of admirable guide-books. The Palace was opened by Her Majesty, June 10, 1854. It has cost considerably more than a million of money. To its attractions have been added musical performances upon a scale of grandeur never before attempted: the Commemorations of Handel are entitled to the highest praise.

The more immediate result of the Hyde Park Exhibition was, however, the Cork Exhibition in 1852; and the next year, were Universal Exhibitions in Dublin and New York, both in Buildings of iron and glass. In 1854, followed the Munich Exhibition of the Industry of the whole of Germany. In 1855, the twelfth Exhibition in Paris followed, being the first great French International Exhibition, imitating closely the plan of 1851. In 1857, took place the Manchester Fine Art Exhibition-a collection of ancient and modern pictures, sculpture, and other works of art, never before equalled the Building was of the Crystal Palace character. In 1861, we had the Dublin Art Exhibition and the Edinburgh Art Treasures' Exhibition, and the Italian National Exhibition at Florence. Besides these, in several of our colonies, small "Crystal Palaces" were erected for exhibitions of industrial art, thus extending the principle to the remotest countries of the civilized world.

In the Practical Mechanics' Journal it is judiciously remarked: "We have seen in the preceding brief sketch that the recognition and first development of National Expositions was due to the prescient mind of Napoleon in his early prime; of that great man, who, amidst national hatreds the most bitter, could mark his reverence for Davy, the English chemist, whose chosen companions were such men as Volta, Čuvier, Chaptal, and La Place. The remembrance of this must have recurred to the President of the Republic with justifiable pride, when inaugurating the Exposition of 1849.

"The next great advance, however, was to come from another mind congenial in vigour, and in the thoughtful conception of the

true paths that lead to industrial greatness, but in all other respects the happy opposite in attributes to that of Napoleon. To our own lamented Prince Consort belongs the origination of the idea of International Exhibitions. France had shown to herself and to Europe what she herself could accomplish, but she had shrunk from permitting other nations to show their achievements, in contrast with and beside her own.

"Perhaps much of the favour with which Prince Albert's proposal was received at length by the people of England arose from the simple courage of the thought; but undoubtedly the immense success which the attempt to carry it out at once attained, as well as the abiding advantages which, as a nation, we have already derived from its results, are due to the idea of international rivalry, as contra-distinguished from merely national display. It ministered not to our insular pride, but proved to us our own comparative shortcomings."

RESULTS OF THE EXHIBITION OF 1851.

For

It is now time to glance at the financial results of the Exhibition, inasmuch as the disposal of the Surplus or Profit promised to be the nucleus of future important operations. To enable them to apply this money, and keep faith with the subscribers to the original fund, the Royal Commissioners applied to Her Majesty for a Supplemental Charter, which, being granted, empowered them to dispose of the Surplus as they might think fit, and to raise contributions in aid of such Surplus-"to purchase and hold lands in any part of Her Majesty's dominions," and to dispose of them in all respects as they should think fit. They first proposed to provide a home for "the Trade Museum," a collection of articles, valued at 90007., presented to them by Exhibitors in 1851.* this purpose they purchased "the Gore House Estate," which Mr. Wilberforce possessed from 1808 to 1821: in 1836, it passed to the Countess of Blessington, who resided here until 1849: in the Great Exhibition year, 1851, the house and grounds were fitted up by Monsieur Soyer as the "Symposium for all Nations:" they were subsequently purchased by the Commissioners for 60,000l., paid out of the Surplus fund of about 186,000l. The whole estate comprised about 21 acres, added to which were Gray's Nursery Grounds, Park House, and Grove House, and various market-gardens; the grounds of Cromwell House, and other lands belonging to the Earl of Harrington and the Baron de Villars. Additional funds for these purchases were provided by the Government, who entered into a sort of partnership with the Commissioners, and purchased, in all, 86 acres, for 280,000l., at an average of 3250l. an acre. Acts of Parliament were passed, legalizing the plans of the Commissioners, and in accordance various old foot-paths, &c., were stopped, and houses removed.

* A portion of these articles was, for some time, stored in the conservatory adjoining Kensington Palace. It is curious to reflect of what extensive operations they became the nucleus.

They also formed nearly two miles of new roadway, the chief lines of which surrounded the best part of their Estate: namely, the Cromwell-road, the Exhibition-road, and the Prince Albert-road, forming, with the main Kensington-road, four sides of a square.

The object of these purchases of land was to secure a large space to which some of the national exhibitions might be removed, and on which a great art-educational institution might be erected. "A Museum of Manufactures" is proposed in the Commissioners' Second Report: "these localities being recommended for the dryness of the soil, and as the only safe ground for future years amidst the growth of the metropolis." In 1856, it was proposed to remove the National Gallery of Pictures from Charing Cross to this site, which has been named "South Kensington:" the Government, however, lost the Bill in Parliament. Gore House was taken down in 1857. Early in 1858, the Commissioners dissolved partnership with the State; the sums advanced by Government were repaid by the Commissioners, subject to a deduction for the ground and buildings of the South Kensington Museum, now become a Government institution, as a branch of the Department of Science and Art. The Commissioners now became trustees for buying and selling the land, about 12 acres of which they have disposed of very profitably in building leases: lines of lofty and handsome houses have sprung up in a style ornate even to sumptuousness: nevertheless, it was not the object of the Commissioners to become a land company, or to be instrumental in blocking up one of the pleasantest localities in the suburbs with lofty dwelling-houses, shutting out fresh air and a fine prospect. The Commissioners are stated to have nearly doubled their original capital by the above speculation: they next let the upper part of the great centre square, about 22 acres, to the Horticultural Society. "The Commissioners have expended about 50,000Z. in building arcades in the new Gardens; and the Society have expended an equal amount in terraces, fountains, conservatories, and in laying out the grounds." (Hollingshead's Concise History, p. 34.)

This arrangement may be, prospectively, an eligible investment for the Royal Commissioners; but the effect of the Horticultural Society shouldering the Exhibition Building, is at present by no means good that it should be bounded by lines of stately houses is objectionable in proportion to their stateliness-almost effacing the recollection of this being once the finest nursery-grounds round London. Had the entire space been reserved for Exhibition purposes, it would have been more promising for the public than the present realization, which may almost be described as a garden without flowers. The conservatory, of iron and glass, disadvantageously reminds one of the Crystal Palace in Hyde

Park.

THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF 1862.

The importance of the development of the International character of Industrial Exhibitions appears to have been more strongly impressed upon the Society of Arts by the several intermediate displays which have just been enumerated; each of which rendered more obvious the desirability of rendering the Home Exhibition periodical. The period now projected was decennial: accordingly, in 1858, the Society first proposed to repeat the Great Exhibition of 1851, the year chosen being 1861. The Commissioners, however, hesitated: they had no funds to meet the expenses of the proposed Exhibition, and they were not satisfied that the scheme would be well supported by manufacturers and the public. The Society of Arts then promised the required information, and their exertions to obtain subscriptions to a proposed guarantee fund of 250,000l. Subsequently, owing to the war in Italy, and the disturbed state of the Continent, the proposed Exhibition was deferred until 1862. By the guarantee agreement, in the event of a loss attending the Exhibition, each subscriber was to contribute in rateable proportion to his subscription to liquidate such loss. Farl Granville, the Marquis of Chandos, Mr. Thomas Baring, Mr. Dilke, and Mr. Thomas Fairbairn, consented to be the five Trustees of the Exhibition.

Earl Granville, K. G., "enjoys all the popularity which a very good-natured public man not spoiled by office is sure to acquire." (Quarterly Review, No. 223.) His Lordship is Lord President of the Council, and Chairman of the Royal Commission.

The Marquis of Chandos has since succeeded his father as Duke of Buckingham and Chandos. The Marquis some time was Secretary and Manager of the London and North-Western Railway Company.

Mr. Thomas Baring, the capitalist, brother of Sir Francis Baring, sits in Parliament for Huntingdon.

Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke was a Commissioner and member of the Executive Committee of the Great Exhibition of 1851, and at its close is stated to have declined knighthood in recognition of his services. He received his patent of Baronetcy from Her Majesty, at the close of 1861. Mr. Dilke made a collection of all the books and publications respecting the Exhibition of 1851 that he could obtain; and a Catalogue of the collection fills more than a hundred large octavo pages. The books and pamphlets are in the English, Welsh, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Indian, Spanish, Greek, and Arabic languages. (Companion to the Almanac, 1862.) This Catalogue has been printed for private circulation. Mr. Thomas Fairbairn is the well-known engineer, of Manchester, and brother of Mr. William Fairbairn, F.R.S.

Application was to be made to the Commissioners for a site on the South Kensington estate, and the Trustees were to erect the buildings, temporary or permanent, for the Exhibition, on the

express condition that one-third of the sum so expended by them should be employed in erections of a permanent character, suitable for decennial or other exhibitions, and vested in the Society of Arts. The surplus was to be applied to the encouragement of arts, manufactures, and commerce; and in the event of there being a loss which the Society of Arts declined to liquidate, the permanent buildings were to be sold, towards such liquidation. In a more attractive manner, the arrangement has been thus sketched in the Quarterly Review, Vol. 112, No. 223: "The steady-going Society of Arts was now called in, and a very odd triangular arrangement consummated. The Commissioners of 1851 leased to the Society of Arts the desired plot of ground for ninety-nine years, in order that a third body, viz., the Commissioners of 1862, might cover the ground with an additional building. Of this building one part was to be considered temporary, and either to be reckoned the property of the contractors, after a vast royalty had been paid for its use, or else bought out-and-out for a further sum; and the other part was to be held permanent, and to pass for the term of the lease of the Society of Arts, supposing the speculation to be solvent. If the returns were insufficient, this portion was to be pulled down at the close of the Exhibition. The motive power of the whole scheme was a solid phalanx of Englishmen, some of them men of capital, and some men of enterprise, who had from various motives subscribed a deed of guarantee, to the amount of several hundred thousand pounds, and on the strength of this deed the Bank of England found the money for the immediate undertaking. So there were the Bank that advanced, the subscribers who guaranteed, the New Commission that managed, the Society of Arts that advised and that waited for its windfall, and the Old Commission that sat in its counting-house counting of its money."

The Society of Arts did not fail to back up their advocacy of this second Exhibition. They showed that nearly four millions had been added to the population of Great Britain since the former Exhibition in 1851; that London would contain half a million more persons than it did then. Sir Cusack Roney, an accredited practical authority in railway statistics, showed that the length of railways in England alone would be nearly eleven thousand miles in 1862, compared with six thousand seven hundred and fifty-five in 1851, and that the general system of railway management would be much improved. The Continental managers have now learned to appreciate through-booking, return-tickets, and excursion traffic at reduced rates, which they would not look at a few years back. Many Continental lines have been opened since the year of the Great Exhibition, all more or less converging

The List of Guarantors was headed by His Royal Highness the Prince Consort, with a subscription of 10,000l. The next sum, in amount, was the subscription of his Grace the Duke of Buccleuch, 5000l., - the excellent nobleman whom, through legislatorial blundering, it lately became the business of interested parties to misrepresent as adverse to popular rights.