The Express.
London, England, 1864-10-18 00:00:00

L"NDON INDUSTRIAL EXHI.
LIMON:

" The interesting exhibition which was yesterilayia-
: au,;urated with fitting solemnity by Earl Russell at
. the Agricultural-hall, lalingtou, exhibits a marked
and gratifying stageof progress, as compared with the
first ttteuipt of the industrial classes in Lambeth to
present to the public a collection of the results of
their labours sutlicieutly good to attract general
attention. In numbers the articles exhibited were
far in excess of the previous show, and we have
very high authority, as will be seen below, from
Earl Itu-sell's ottservations, for saying that in every
branch of mechanical ingenuity, and even in twine
dariny attempts to invade the realms of higher art,
the working men of North Loudou have exhibited
a laudable anxiety to produce something which
should justify the high rank which they claim and
take muouget the artisans of the world.
The story of the origin and growth of this re-
markable exhibition is simple enough. In April'
last some half-dozen workaug men discussed the
propriety of holding a Clerkenwell exhibition. A
public meeting followed, which attracted applica-
tions for participation from various other London
districts, and the mutt was the organisation of the
prcient exhibition, subject, however, to the im-
portaut contingency of finding amongst the
wealthier classes persons of sufficient public spirit,
and of sympathy with the working classes, to
guarantee the necessary expenses. Guarantors
were not slow in coming forward for the modest
sum (3501.) required, and the names of the Earl of
Shaftesbury, Right Ron. W. E. Gladstone, Miss!
Burdett Coutts, Mr. W. IL Bodkin. Mr. amuel
Morley, Alderman Lusk, Mr. Thomas Wink-
worth, Mr. Nicholay, and several other gen-
tlemen removed all feelings of uneasiness as to
the pecuniary results of the undertaking.
It was at first proposed to hold the exhibition in
one of the smaller rooms of the Agricultural-hall,
but so numerously did the applications of exhibi-
tors pour in that an appeal had to be made to the
directors who at once and in the most liberal''
manner placed the large hall at the disposal of the
committee. These preliminary difficulties having
been overcome, a term of four mouths was found
sufficient to mature everjthing, to "put the right
thing in the right place, and to arrange the exhi-
bition in the manner in which it was thrown open
to the public yesterday.
Previous to the ceremonial inauguration a pri-
vate view was permitted, when we were agreeably sur-
prised to find au exhibition of nearly nine huudred
articles of the most varied description, and all deeply
suggestive and interesting as showing thebentof the
working man's mind and the sort of labour in which he
by choice occupies his leisure hours. It is said]
that human nature is food of paradox, and
one remarkable feature of the exhibition is
the wide difference which its specimens in-
dicate between the man's natural tastes
and the occupation by which he gets his living.
A whole side-wall is covered with oil paintings,
water colours, and drawings in chalk, std it almost
provokes a smile to find that they are nearly all the
productions of men engaged in the most incongruous
occupations. A whole compartment is occupied
with the gallery of a pork butcher in Holton, and
a very curious gallery it is, one which we are sure
Sir E. Laudseer or Mr. Marline would look at with
a great deal of curiosity and interest. The artist,
although probably never having seen a Dutch
painting, is a devoted disciple of the Dutch
achoul, and composes entirely after the Dutch man-
nee There are village merrymakings, boors drink-
ing, cobblers at work, and misers counting their
money, and the amount of character that is infused
into these rude attempts, painted as they are in
entire ignorance of the most elementary rules of
art, is absolutely surprising. There is one small
picture in this compartment of a cobbler at work
which is really of considerable merit—with a little
brown Tarnish and a reasonable seasoning of smoke
it would cut a very respectable figure in a west-eud
catalogue. In another compartment is a very am-
bitions oil painting, the work of a postman, the
subject being "The Murder of William Rufus in
the New Forest." The trees, skies, and forest
glade are exceedingly well done, much better than
the figures, but the whole is a surprising attempt,
and what makes it more interesting is that the
artist has hung up immediately under it his first

attempt in oil,- so that the spectator may see at a
glance how bard he must have worked, and how
genuine his zml for art must have been, to have
enabled him, unasssisted, to make such progress
as the second picture exhibits. A Mr. Coucanen
exhibits some exceedingly beautiful landscapes in
chalk, but, if we remember rightly, this gentle-
man was an exhibitor at Kensington iu 1862, and
his works then attracted much and favourable
notice.

Passing from the artists to the mechanics, who
have tilled the centre with their models, we tiud a
watch tiuisher's apprentice sending in a beam steam
engine, and others, models of ships, houses, cot-
tages, mansions, churches, chapels, prisons, and
fortresses. The working men seem, in fact, to
delight in the construction of these elaborate toys,
and exhibit various degrees of taste in their de-
coration. A manuscript magazine, containing the
essays of the Barbican Mutual Improvement Su-
dety, will be a tract of rare value some cen-
tury hence ; and beside this will be found ivory
turned out of the solid piece in the cleverest man-
ner, original drawings, and methods for improving
almost every article of household necessity. We
noticed a highly-finished model in polished
steel of a breech-loading cannon, but as a general
rule, the British workman does not seem inclined
to waste his ingenuity in the making of implements
of destruction. The whole collection will well
repay a visit, and is calculated to give valuable
hints as to the modes in which the education
of the working classes would be best promoted ;
but it would be obviously impossible to
include elaborate details respecting an exhibition
of nearly 900 articles In an account of an inaugural
ceremonial. The exhibition is divided into eight
classes, namely, professional workmanship, ama-
teur productions, inventions and novel con tri-
vances, mechanical models, architectural, marine,
and ornamental models, artistic objects,
ladies' work of all kinds, and miscellaneous.
In addition to the contributions of the workmen
themselves. attractive objects have been sent in
from various collections. There are numerous
precious specimens of art workmanship from Ken-
aingtou Museum. Mr. Niebolay sends in his well-
knowd ',turfed tiger% and Mr. Benson, of Ludgate-
bill, a curious and unique collection of antique
watches and clocks—a peculiarly interesting contri-
bution to an exhibition which, it may be said, was
created iu Clerkenwell. In this rare assortment
are two watches, the cases of which are cut from the
solid topaz ; another, a fine specimen of enemelling,
subjee, "The Adoration of the Magi ; " and
another, with a portrait of Charles I. iu the lid.
The interest of this portion of the exhibition is
made perfect by the juxtaposition of some of the
finest watches of Mr. Benson's own manufacture,
the whole forming a most instructive series of
ancient and modern horology.
The honr for the inaugural ceremony was three
o'clock, and by that time the vast hall was densely
filled with a most respectable audience, attracted
by the intimation that Earl Russell was to deliver
the in..ugural address. His lordship, although
evidently muttering from a severe cold, was punctual
to hi, tine, and was received on his entrance with
several di-•:inet rounds of cheering. A small plat-
form ha I been erected iu front of the grand
orchestra, ..ud on it a chair of state, which was
occupied by the noble earl while the secretary was
reading the report. This lengthy document, to
which the audience listened with commendable
patience, having been disposed of, Earl Russell,
attended by the members of the committee, walked
round the exhibition, carefully inspecting the
various articles and receiving renewed plaudits
from the vast assemblage as be passed slowly along.
On his return, his lordship came to the front of the
platform and spoke as follows :
Ladies ~ml Gentlemen.—lhave to twagratalete yea upon
the . •Ati•Jit which I base just bees privileged to witness.
It has Leen the greatest satisfaction tome to observe the
works of .k.:l and industry of the North London working
dames, and Ism loaned to say that, Ia my *aka. what!