The Press.
London, England, 1855-08-11 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

swept away. They are calculated to excite only
terror or disgust. The sylva of different regions of
the globe is living and blooming, and may be gazed
on with delight, but it is far otherwise with the
painted plaster which is made to pass muster for the
fauna. Such representations may have their use, as
anatomical museums, with their preservations in
spirits, have theirs, but they are manifestly out of
place in a temple which should be dedicatd to the
Beautiful, and to the highest manifestations of genius.
In the wide domain of Art and Industry, the Directors
may find an amply sufficient dal fbr their exertions
to please without trenching on the peculiar ground of
zoological gardens and of waxwork shows. Separate
spaces might also with advantage be devoted to re-
freshments, instead of hating stalls and tables with
porter-bottles and coffee cups, bread and cheese and
pastry, scattered over the whole building.
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It is by steadily keeping in view the one principle
that the building should contain whatever is most
worthy of being seen and studied, that the manage-
ment may most rationally look for success. To
elevate the mind is really to educate it, but when the
whole community is in question it is unwise to make
a profession of teaching. They teach themselves
best when 'they are unconscious of effort, and when
their intellect is roused by the pleasing stimulus
affottled to their senses.

At present' the commercial prospects of the Com-
pany are not cheering, though their works have been
executed with remarkable fidelity. The building
itself is complete, and the grounds already rich in
floricultural beauty. So far success has been com-
plete, and to this success the public have given their
applause and patronage. But very much remains to
be done to complete the interior of the building, and,
with the exercise of all possible economy, a further
sum might advantageously be expended for this
purpose. If thrown open, however, to merit, as we
venture to recommend, the public themselves would
probably contribute to the Exhibition its most attrac-
tive features. Not till the whole vast space inade-
quately filled with rare and beautiful productions,
exhibiting the triumphs of human ingenuity in their
endlessly-varied forms, and as manifested in all ages,
will the work of the Directors be complete ; and when
they have accomplished so much we believe that
they will be able to rest on their oars, and securely
trust to the tide of public favour for reward.
One experiment would be worth trying to give to
their enterprise a really national character. The
opening of the Exhibition on Sunday has been much
discussed, but to such a step there are obvious objec-
tions, one of the greatest being that it would sanc-
tion the principle of opening for profit places of
amusement. Perhaps the building itself would not
be the 'fittest place for Sabbath musings, or for the
bodily recreation so much needed by those who have
passed the other six days in toil. What our labour.
ing classes need on the Sunday is fresh air and some
taste of the beauties of nature. No place so well
calculated to satisfy these wants can be found within
a moderate distance of London as the beautiful
grounds of the Crystal Palace. Why might not the
Company throw them open gratuitously during the
Sunday afternoon ? Their ordinary attendants would
suffice to preserve order, or an arrangement might be
made for the attendance of a sufficient number of
policemen. The constitution of the charterwould not,
we imagine, present any difficulties which might not
be easily removed. We do not think the Company would
lose anything by their liberality. Perhaps it might
tend to attract the labouring classes in larger num-
bers to the interior of the Palace at other times. At
any rate those poor toilers in our metropolis whose
pleasures are so rare, and their hours of recreation
so scant, would have opened to them on their sole
day of leisure a garden of surpassing beauty, where
they might refresh their senses by a scene of almost
fabulous splendour, behold the beauty of Nature in
harmony with the creations of Art, learn how natural
to the mind is the love of elegance and order,
and be the wiser and better for their cheerful,
innocent, healthful excursion. Such a step
would raise the Company above a mere trading
body, and give it some title to expect assist-
ance from the State, should such assistance ever be
needed.