The Press.
London, England, 1857-04-25 00:00:00

THE MANCHESTER EXHIBITION.

THE final arrangements for the ceremonial of Tues-
day week, the rah May, have been concluded. All the
formalities usual upon state occasions are to he
adopted. Her Majesty's Ministers and the foreign
ambassadors are to be invited to attend, and, as his
Royal Highness the Prince Consort has expressed
his intention of appearing in full uniform, every
official will attend in Court costume.

The interior preparations are now almost con-
cluded, while the decorations of the different
galleries and the arrangements of the paintings and
sculpture are completely finished. The executive cem •
mittee have decided that the shilling admission shall
commence within a fortnight from the opening of
the Exhibition, while, simultaneously, excursion
trains at reduced prices will commence running from
all parts of the country. An " Apartment Registry "
has also been opened at the committee's offices, so
that all trouble of search for lodgings will be saved
to the visitor. A great success is anticipated, and
worthily so, for this magnificent display of the art
treasures of the kingdom. The main object early
indicated by his Royal Highness the Prince Consort,
in his letter to the late Lord Ellesmere, has been
kept in view, and the public it is hoped will nobly
respond to the offer made to then :
If (wrote his Royal Highness) the collection yon pro•
pose to form were made to illustrate the history of art, in
a chronological and systematic arrangement, it would
speak powerfully to the public mind, and enable, in a prac•
neal way, the most uneducated e,e to gather the lessons
which ages of thought and scientific research have at.
tempted to abstract ; and would present to the world, for
the first time, a gallery such as no other country could
produce, but for which, I feel convinced, the materials
exist abutdantly in private hands amongst us.

With respect to the building, it differs materially
from the Crystal Palace, but the elegance of its
proportions are said to be quite equal. The roof is
composed of a series of semic►rcular supports,
springing from iron pillars and girders about five
and twenty feet high. These are placed at intervals
of about six feet, the intermediate space being filled
with iron pannels painted aerial blue, with maroon
lines. The roof is not glazed until the sixth panel
is reached, but an abundance of light is admitted by
glazing four of the panels forming the crown of
the roof. By this arrangement there is no glare
or unnecessary heat, and the atmosphere of the
building is made more suitable to the climate, and
better adapted for the preservation of the costly and
valuable objects to be exhibited. The walls a►e
painted deep maroon colour, as a ground for the
series of historical portraits. Above is a richly-
ornamented frieze, containing tablets inscribed with
th 3 names of the principal painters whose works
will be found in the gallery. The columns support-
ing the roof are painted in imitation of bronze,
richly gilt, and the other ornamental ironwork
is decorated in a similar manner. The main arches
of the roof are also of bronze, but the flat surfaces
between the flanges are painted in Greek fret, or
scroll ornament, red, on a vellum ground. The
maroon colour of the walls is continued at each end
of the grand nave, but ornamented next the arch by
a broad band of subdued olive green, with scroll
foliage. The side aisles, intended for pictures of
early and modern painters, have the walls painted
sage green, with ornamental friezes, in which
maroon colour predominates. The galleries are
divided by arched partitions, ornamented on the

SATURDAY,

upper part by decorative pannelling, introducing the
names of the painters whose works will be ex
hibited.

To the right of the transept an Oriental Court has
been formed under the superintendence of Dr. Royle,
of the East India-house. The Lne of the walls are
sage green, with light pendant ornaments, and a
frieze elaborately wrought with Oriental characters.
The principal contributors to this department will
be her Majesty and the East India Company. Some
magnificent specimens of arms, clothing, and furni•
tura have already arrived ; and the court, when
completed, will present a curious display of Eastern
art and luxury. The products of Indian art will be
arranged along the north side, and those of China
and Persia at the south. A magnificent tent,
formerly the property of Tippoo Saib, will be placed
in the centre of the court, and rich specimens of the
Indian and Circassian looms will be suspended from
the walls.

A room has been prepared for the accommodation
of the Prince Consort and suite at the north side
of the main entrance. The apartment is decorated
in the style of the Fourteenth Louis. The walls are
divided into panels of a pale-green ground, with rich
" fillings," and the roof is supported with pilasters of
white and gold. The ceiling is divided into
elaborately-worked compartments, and the letters
" V. R. are introduced into the cornices.
In the ancient gallery, Raphael will be represented
by ten or more pictures. They will include three
well-known paintings of the " Virgin and Child," one
of which was in the Rogers collection, the two others
being contributed by Earl Cowper; also two of the
"Agony in the Garden," besides the "Christ on the
Cross," from Citta di Castello, in Raphael's earliest
style; and a portrait of Joanna of Aragon (mother
of Charles V.), which is a duplicate of one in the
Louvre. One of the greatest works of Titian, the
" Europa," is exhibited among the examples of that
master. On the same waits are Michael Angelo's
" Christ and the Woman of Samaria," the " Nine
Muses," of Tintoretto; a splendid collection of pic-
tures by Perugino, Veronese, Bartolomeo, Caracci,
Murillo, and Salvator Rosa ; portraits by Velasquez
and Vandyck ; " Peter the Great," by Kneller; the
" St. Agnes " of Domenichino, from Windsor Castle;
the "Adoration of the Kings," by Mabuse ; the
" Misers," by Quentin Matsys ; a number of the
finest works of Rubens, Poussin, and Snyders, and a
great many by Rembrandt, Vanderveldt, Jan Steen,
and Teniers. This enumeration can give but a faint
idea of the appearance presented by the walls of this
gallery, glowing with the splendour of nine hundred
paintings by the greatest masters of Italy, Germany,
Spain, and Flanders.
. . _

Great and glorious as that collection is, it will be
rivalled in extent and in attraction by the gallery of
the moderns. Here there is not much restriction to
chronological sequence, or to any arrangement but
that which may best exhibit the merits of each
painting to advantage and at the same time contri-
bute to an harmonious effect of colouring in the whole
series. The accomplishment of this task has been,
and will be for nearly a fortnight to come, one of the
greatest delicacy and difficulty. There are not here,
as in ordinary exhibitions, any inferior productions
to be disposed of, but every picture is one of the
most celebrated works of the greatest English
painters and their foreign contemporaries. Most of
these pictures have become widely known amongst
the people by the numerous engravings or copies
of them, and in proportion to this universal ac-
quaintance will he the warmth of the greeting when
the long-concealed originals are recognised. Amongst
the works of Hogarth will be found the " March to
Finchley," " Southwark Fair," " Garrick as Richard
III.," the " Scene from the Beggar's Opera," and
the " Lady's Last Stake ;" and not far off are the
wonderful portraits by Reynolds, Gainsborough, and
Lawrence, the landscapes of Gainsborough and
Wilson, Haydon's " Mock Election," Wilkie's " Rent-
day," "Card Players," "Blind Man's Buff," and
many other favourites; West's " Death of General
Wolfe," " Departure of Regulus," " Cupid and
l'syche," " Battle of the Boyne," and " Death on the
Pale Morse;" then some splendid works by Con-
stable, and at length a profusion by Etty and Turner.
The various styles of the last-named are all illus-
trated by specimens. The gallery is further en-
riched by the Royal Academy's contribution of
diploma pictures, and by many works of foreign
artists, including Canaletto, Ary Scheffer, Delaroche,
and Vernet. Amongst the great number of works
by living artists are Eastlake's " Christ Weeping
over Jerusalem," Mulready's " Wolf and the Lamb,"
" Travelling Druggist," and " Barber's Shop ;"
" Landseer's " Rat-catching," " Life in the Old Dog,"
"Dignity and Impudence," and " Stag at Bay ;" the
" St. Michael's Mount " of Stanfield ; the " Sirens,"
the "Sea Cave," and others, by Frost; "Autumn
Leaves," by Millais; " Stray Sheep," and several
other pictures, by Hunt; "Lady Jana Grey and
Roger Ascham," by Horsley; and many works of
Herbert, Pickersgill, Uwins, Maclise, E. M. Ward,
Linnell, Cope, Creewiek, Newton, and Collins.

25,1857.

THE NEW READING•ROOM OF THE
BRITISH MUSEUM.

THIS magnificent building, completed within three
years, has necessarily, from the secluded nature of
its site in the centre of the interior quadrangle of the
Museum, been hitherto concealed from the public
eye. On the Bth of May next it will, for the first
time, be opened to the public for an entire week,
after which it will he devoted to the readers, under
the usual regulations.
The building is circular. It does not occupy the
entire quadrangle, there being unavoidably a clear
interval of from 27 to 50 feet all round, to give light
and air to the surrounding buildings, and as a guard
against possible destruction by fire from the outer
parts of th.; Museum. The dome is 140 feet in
diameter, its height being 109 feet. In this dimen•
sion of diameter it is only interior to the Pantheon
of Rome by 2 feet; St. Peter's being only 139; St.
Maria in Florence, 139 ; the Tomb of Mahomet,
Bejapore, 135 ; St. Paul's, 112 ; St. Sophie, Con-
stantinople, 107; and the Church at Darmstadt, 105.
In other particulars our new dome is far superior.
The new &ading•room contains 1,250,000 cubic feet
of space ; its " suburbs," or surrounding libraries,
750,000. The building is constructed principally of
iron, with brick arches between the main ribs, sup
ported by 20 iron piers, having a sectional area of 10
superficial feet to each, including the prick casing,
or 200 feet in all. This saving of space by the use
of iron is remarkable, the piers of support on which
our dome rests only thus occupying 200 feet, whereas
the piers of the Pantheon of Rome fill 7,477 feet of
area, and those of the Tomb of Mahomet 5,593.
Upwards of 2,000 tons of iron have been used in the
construction. The weight of the materials used in
the dome is about 4,200 tons—viz., upwards of 200
tons on each pier.
This vast dome contains ample and comfortable
accommodation for 300 readers. Each person will
have a separate table, 4 feet 3 inches long. lie. is
screened from the opposite occupant by a longi-
tudinal division, which is fitted with a hinged desk
graduated on sloping racks, and a folding shelf for
spare books. In the space between the two, which
is recessed, an inkstand is fixed, having suitable
penholders. Thus the whole table-top is free from
writing implements or other embarrassments, and
every precaution is taken to preserve the books if the
readers will but use common care.

The framework of each table is of iron, forming
air-distributing channels, which are contrived so that
the air may be delivered at the top of the longi•
tudinal screen division, above the level of the heads
of the readers, or, if desired, only at each end
pedestal of the tables, all the outlets being under the
control of valves. A tubular footrail also passes
from end to end of each table, which may have a
current of warm water passed through it at pleasure,
and be used as a footwartner if the reader have a
slow circulation, or perchance there comes a Moscow
winter.

The ventilation, it is said, will be perfect. The
supply of fresh air is obtained from a shaft 60 feet
high, built on the north side of the north win; about
300 feet distant, communicating with a tunnel or
sub-way which has branches or " loop lines" fitted
with valves for diverting the current either wholly
through the heating apparatus, or through the cold-
air flues, or partly through either, as occasion may
require. The air-channels are of sufficient capacity
to admit a supply of fresh air for 500 persons at the
rate of 10 cubic feet per minute, and at a velocity
not exceeding 1.0 foot per second. For summer
ventilation steam-pipes, placed at the summit of the
roofs and dome, will be heated, and extract the foul
air when the external and internal temperature is
unfavourable for the purpose.
In the decoration of the dome, light colours and
the purest gilding have been preferred. The great
room, therefore, notwithstanding its circular shape,
has au illuminated and elegant aspect. The decora
tive work may be shortly described :—The inner
surface of the dome is divided into 20 compartments
by moulded ribs, which are gilded with leaf prepared
from pure gold, the sotlites being in ornamental
patterns, and the edges touching the adjoining mar-
gins fringed with a leaf-pattern scolloped edge.
Each compartment contains a circular-headed win-
dow, 27 feet high and 12 feet wide, with three panels
above, the central one being medallion-shaped, the
whole bordered with gilt mouldings and lines, and
the field of the panels finished in encaustic azure
blue, the surrounding margins being of a warm
cream colour. Tue details of the windows are
treated in like manner—the spandril panels blue;
the enriched column and pilaster caps, the central
flowers, the border moulding and lines being gilded ;
the margins cream colour throughout upon the tops
of the main ribs' rests. The mould rim of the lan-
tern-light, which is gilded and overcoated to core