The Express.
London, England, 1855-05-28 00:00:00

CRYSTAL PALAOR.

The few days Of Hu• weather which have elapsed since
the termination of the terrible east wind, that did so leach
Wealth f to everything, have suSeed to clothe the beautiful
groands of the Crystal Palms is the brightest verdure.
The dower-beds are potting on their most brilliant coleus*,
and the picturesque clumps et tress in the park are speared
wit► foliage. While asters has the' bees so busy, art has
gene on eemmsadable rivalry, laiebiag such pottiest' of
the dodge as still required its misistr•tien. The rosaries
are fast advancing to eempletioit, and the fountains are all
ready to harm forth Is those sparkling jets which are to
teem ss stasustive a novelty in this seoutry. The spp
preaches from the taste are measly finished, sad add a hundred
or two mare to those dread lights of steps that form such
'earliest training esheele toe the s►ort-winded. Within,
the spectator who has abuses* Weasel( for some weeks
will see aid hear is.., improvements. parlous attractive
amides have been added bore and there, and groups of
statuary stand somplete whisk before presented oily
• tantalising aspect of p►ogress. Amotigst the ewes
plotted departments which will attract the moat
notice is tensility the Hall of the Abeneorreges,
I. the Alhambra, the chef taws at ones of
its Arabia originators and of its 'dud restorer. The
Alhambra, it will be remembered, semis* is its principal
features, of the Hall of Lions, the Coati of Justice, and the
Hall of the htssatierrages. The two first have long
been objects of admiration to the visitors of the
Crystal Pekoe ; but until now the megoident ,
Hall of the Abencemges hes been jealously shut in from
public iespection. It is now thrown epee, sad every one
who as undentandingly admire the sound decorative pis-
ciples sad regal taste of the Saracens, may enter, and revel
in an amount of visual ealoyment that is almost tato:feat-
iag is its intensity. It waled be impossible by written
description to do jostles to the many.ooloured splendours of
the ceiling, so pedlar in its shape, so mysteriously elabo-
rate in its ernameatatke. Colours and gilding are laid en
with what would be auneetesary profusion, but that ever/
diet rent piece is arranged with the profoundest attention to
the laws of light and colour. It has all the glitter of a
prism without its coldness ; for the spectator most feel, if
he does not know, when trading on the teseelated pavement
beneath, that Its is la the abode of the most teased
luxury, where the aid of art has been called in to
provide that acesseoriee most in keeping with oriental *a-
joyatents and the glow of a soothers 011111119. The sompletion
of this hall enables os to feria a oresplete idea of Mr. Owen
Jones' design, and establishes his reputatioa not only as an
ICCOmplished artist, but as a taan of undoubted genius, as
eothiog less than the latter ram quality could have eaabled
bias to eater so thoroughly into the spirit of Nowise art,
whit& it required the simonsplished artist and man else:lease
to restore, and present, in perhaps more than their original
beauty, to the modem spectator.
In another department, which has its attractions for t►e
great majority of visitors, much has been dens to procure
efficiency and variety. Kr. achallelin has been enabled to
restore his band to its original numbers and efficiency, and
bas devised many ingenious expedients for extending its
services ever • greater surface. Thus, in addition to the
regular performs's@ into which the whole force of the bead
is thrown, the word instruments play Eaglish glees sad
other similarly harmonious pieces in t►e manisal apart,
quartets are given on the brass in the doe arts amt. while
choral mimic, both sassed sad seeder, is given is He gal-
lery of the centre tnampt, where • remarkably flee effect
is produced by the combination of Bishop's organ with the
wind iastrueneats. The last feature is certainly a very
attritive novelty in the musical arrangements, and daily
attracts • large sisals of admire. Oa &earthy last,
when there was an unusually large and fashionable
company, the musical attractions were farther enhanced by
the performance of little Louis Napoleon en ow of Col-
lard's grand pianofortes. This wonderful child, who is oaly
eleven years old, sad of exceedingly intestine appearance,
masters his huge instrument with positive inspire.
don; now playing the most elaborately Amend pas-
sages with unerring certainty sad fire, sad again Mangier;
into some low sad plaintive movement, which east lily be
done justice to by the true and sympathetic artist. The in-
strument—which was • remarkably Has one, weaned of
all that clear resonaaas of Was which distiagaishos the
pianos of the eminent firm that supplied it—was heard with
entire distinctness all rased the transept, and the effect was

The five-franc days, it is now obvious, are a great,
a calamitous failure. This toll has turned a floe 1
exhibition into an Exeter arcade on a large scale !
The atmosphere of the plea has been most depress.
ing ; aced think this depression has communicated
itself even to the exhibitors. They proceed buts
slowly with their work, their chief energy apparently
being directed to the removal of notable objects to
different positions. For instance, I have had to
dodge the great Bordeaux carved ease to three dif-
ferent pens of the building. It was deposited first,
open one of the north western counters. Suddenly
it disappeared from this excellent position, and'
turned up on the opening day against the western
MilsiThen, taking courage for a bolder flight,
:iore disappeared. Yesterday I discovered it
fa the American spate, where it is the only object
f au inquisitive visitor might pat a question to
the gentlemen who occupy a deal sentry box, placed
in a court displaying racy deal boards, and ticketed
" United States," he would ask one althea. eight Ame-
rican commissioners whether or not it is their intention
to exhibit anything beyond the stars and stripes float-
ing above them, and their own persons strolling in
this very remarkable court below. It seems to me
that their space is intruded upon daily, as they der
weir of having anything to show. In the first place,
Elkington and Co. have got a slice of Yankee space;
in the second place, France appears to have cut off a
eery important bit to exhibit the Bordeaux rose. A
Cloister fate seems to hang over our good friends of
the States wherever they meddle with exhibitions.
The French section of the building, however, is
gradually assuming a finished aspect. The porcelain
manufacturers are setting out some brilliant services
in the north-western quarter of the palace; and here
within the last few days an agricultural nave stall
has bees arranged. Wheel-barrows, spades, rakes—
small agricultural implements of all kinds—are
grouped, with artistic carelessness, In a heap—and
are surmounted with tufts of wheat, barley, &o. Be-
fore all stands a model farmhouse or granary. Bot
the French nave stalls which now begin to attract
attention—or as math attention as the thin groups of
five-franc visitors can give—are those given up to
Parisian industry—but particularly the stalls of
litihate, and Jawed's& The highly decorated fur-
sitars exhibited by the former illustrates all the
groom and some of the defects of Parisian art-manu-
lectures. The book-case for the Emperor, which is
the principal piece of furniture upon the ,tall, is rich
indoubtedly ; the deities upon it, axamined-aptut, are
elegant—but the elect of the whole is net
all that could be desired. The ornimeatatioa is over-
done. There is no part for the eye to rest upon—no
relief for any single beauty—because no space can
he afforded for the modest business of relieving ! I
prefer the carved ask cabinet, and eels-Dice, which
stand beside the bluing gold ornaments of the book-
ease. But far before any of this /organs furniture
*pen Tahan's stall is the beautiful bird-cage in carved
I.k, surrounded with elegant supports for dowses,
which properly occupies some of the antral spies fa
the save. From Tahan we advance to Jeannine.
Nem we find a gilded sofa of beautiful design, worth
UK ; an um chair to mash, valued at 801.; and a
Chair for which the mauxfaquer requires 321. Here,
loo,,the
,peretits of spoilt Andrea may indulge their
pet with a Little bale's chair value 121. without the
trimming. AU this expensive art-manufacture is
certainly exquisitely tasteful. The same manufac-
turer exhibits a cabinet in the Renaissance style;
and a cabinet foe gn.arms, is oak, carved with all RAILWAY ACCLDINTII AND RAILWAY ASBURANOI.
kinds of sporting ornaments, and valued at 4801. -At es [signet tel. 4.1 aliewordays ago before Kr. Wakley, en
Well, before this trophy of Parisian art-work- 'Ladd gitttious A. Dyer, * lste
less 61411110:04 °a the Nestb
. y, who by as nest-
p let us linger a moment. It bears upon its dud apes gm ija nail la „, ;assay as
• wholesome lesson for every visitor. Jean- to the eissamstasses et he homed's family (a wile
plisse's Weller' In known as inelading more than sad fever ehaiiree), it wee seated that Vs pawl
three hundred wanton. Would you like to hear den riff Mak he "MP is Ins allsPoora POW glisariarm
itt my Pe r= Assumes amas, 1,11/K.
the story of the etros P Well, he was himself akm mambaba, by the parent oC he .
Ta f 11.• yeardsl
woks= mum He bora his battle of lif• in one of :rillMe be a esesiderable less to it. Assarasee Company, whisk
those famous workreens chambers of the Faubourg a esaaseaavek a gip ; boa to whoa 41,ec a a
Saint Antoine—chambers where a man an hardly eemaimil wild el this *Wu el mar-
lad room for his tools and wood. He arrived in mu% atirl sul=biate!riber gad, ewhiwen
Paris about 26 years ago--a simple journeyman car- suss
zit gnat* in Hints7:atri...o
sores in
without MD w the morrow's bread in his '.'
exteat, is eneking. awl is 'boot to be subleased. Capitol
=7—to quote his worth biographer, A. Audi- ma, am. bake mak t-mik it i -.lo,era dividin
4111181 N. His mil advantage over Illii iliwarillihet it telear:elie. asi annehese of -Women employed Ino
Meng wham his weer was &slight know- ploughing end Me elk see son, to
lodge of drawing, it a geareilens 'drawing. utv_.__laae___,___.
__ . lankilalitiew,
i4segr=..74:
SAW al his He Inlaid iv* three W ww
done ararm, 7 w
ted
some Tears age of a troop of peeebere
=nabs a meellwo beim be mei' OM orient sad robben called .. waitkan busks," I. about to be is.
~
__lo plats bilimir la • lath graeffairt a his doled sal cultivated.
own. He me me mime yeas he add the ere he Mtn/ACID MACSIDIZZY.—Between live and six
made to varietal alrip. Disbrow only be strived e'elook ea Thursday smite nit, a very afilketAsisraisest
at the turning plat when lova to others. t.ri_K/110. " ig•"/L aft 081/1"0 sad 00... gad
His ateliers than became famous—bit y lice V''' oaf"'""• laiidiswn• It *Pi's° 1111111. "'Ph
e sae of he done at tile bias* weeks
chairs and arm-chain. Well. may be sake awe of .116 his Imam arm oespg " an ~,,,, by eats,. sad
his easiest for-hiumelf, and inliis old age may lib elk beer= entionied with ea upright shaft, sod
comfortably in it to teach the young about him the diodesd flu email away times; his bead and body also
Way to work and win. mess is imam eta es ken pipe, near to the ebe4 sad
Turning from exhibitors to directors, the mss. The shaft is in see
I may remark fu==el 'is" c''''' d the
that the complicated arrangements made for the =imiss"--- ablatbaigig -abilimall hale ammo lea dm wall. Th•
was a elogla ines. de min of ore
admission of the public are torturing. Armed with mg has bus emoiereg ab tba bin* webs about ab rims
ono of Prices Napoleon's tickets, I proceeded a few —liesseAteter asemistee.
days since to the entrance by whisk I bad bees la the Fax or fannoi.sx Mita" pus BoLrom—Oa
habit of making my way into the banding. 1 was Tinividar atavism I gee
B.
was dimmed is a para.boo.p
met by two policemen of epigrammatic landsman,— ..betsft t_t__ _ T. B. Cruspesacesed Co 0., presesise
who rudely told me I could not enter. I proceeded raZia=r.an.a_mnswEnns. !_siss!.. the !ii.. 4.1::
then to the western end of the building outside the ir jaaaaacaa Is =La'smisp7sges.
wish kid
!swap—showed my ticket, and was admitted within piney dry, wen koniagbar he particles wellZere
these railings, to walk back halt the length of the ,seMose W have lakes hin. ham wade Mid pro'
exhibition. I had sow arrived at the door—or near 6r,n ens "01,1 an adjelabig, twes_tpoi:
' the door from whisk I had before been turned. I was wp;„"";,7 'Moro= was s
ittz,t,:ri. 1,1::,.....
now informed by another polio:mole. as spigranunatia eased bibs of seals, sad a eery bop stock of worse-
and rude as his companioas, that I could not enter tweed geode; the wholo4l tebleitorlibpbe Whom were
that way—but mast return down the mielosurs, to its lowilithwrered• the aalliage is islismisol'at him -10,0061.
western extremity I pass through the gates • and , s°l6.' Marl, 100 bawds will he sum time b• %kw",
oat of waplopmeat. The matt pieties oldie weeks, wide!
then walk the oath, length of the baildiag'to its ~. you „1..„„, fo„.„17 moped laist7._biamobew4r
mat= corner, where I should gain admittance. Akailijair.

even enhanced to lush of the auditors islistened from the
neighbouring galleries. The young Min was loudly ap-
plauded, and the esdinee men Rath a:stilled at learning
that his pertains's., aul be repeated oa the day of the
flower show.

For the flower show itself, which is to inaugurate a series
of fl ant Nue ter the season, the most extensive preparations I
at. being made, sad the collectioa will be the most exten-
sive sad rarest that has probably ever bees eau I. Kaglead.
The weather has it is Ira, bee. myth* bet propitious
for the of the more delimits varieties of pleats, bat
the last few hoe days have dose wonders, sal we know
that the distingoblted projector of the kite has lea some
wooden also in his time. The same of Bir J. Pastes will be
Indicant saturates to the pubis that the floral Ike will have
everything that art sad Mete sea sanest or mosey eaa
attract to lake it worthy at ease of the rases sad its sub-
menhirs. With all these &Westin& the Crystal Palme
amaot fail to sejoy a fair share of the support of the holi-
day folks ; bet that nothing may be waatiag to complete
their enjoyment., the MIMI& Stipa, are making the most
streamnis Inertias in dna important departmsas sad Is
their hands it will require ao emantittee of fagary to
restore odicioney to the Commissariat.

si •