The Express.
London, England, 1864-04-23 00:00:00

CRYSTAL PALACE.

The directors of the Crystal Palace are evidently
resolved to play sliberal pert in the great untionnl corn.

merooration of Shakespeare ; and in order to show their de-
termination to be among the foremost of the numerous
esteems for the public entertainment, in commotion with
the illustrious poet, they yesterday exposed to view for the
first tuns, a reproduction of the house io which be was born
This work has bees executed by the indefatigable veteran,
Mr. E. T. Parris, who, it appears, was occupied for
mensal days in taking drawings and models, sod
so careful has this conscientious artist been to produce
a correct rendering of the poet's birth-place, even in its
most minute details, that the very cracks in the windows
and the knots in the beams have been most faithfully copied.
The result is that the spectator may well reconcile himself
to the belief that the veritable dwelling is before him. The
exhibitioe does net steraly omelet of a SOMA, re-
presentation of the outward walls of the building ; but
its interior is also given, with all that minuteness which
might he looked for is the neatly executed model of a
lodging house. The estim building (comprising as it dose

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1864.

two homes, both of which are supposed to have belonged
,to Shakespeare) occupies a large amount of space, but
II was sufficient far the purposes of the artist to show
the interior of only a portico, and that portion consisting of
the room on the first floor, in which it is supposed
Shakespeare was bon, and the room on the ground
floor through which visitors have to pass in their
transit from the street These two rooms are rendered with
a degree of fidelity, which is instructive to those who have
not seen the original building, and surpriving to those who
are familiar with it, and lest the Squiring spectator should
endeavour to show where be has discovered some point of
difference between the house and is reproduction, care has
been taken to introduce such accessorise as have loop been
associated with Shakespeare's dwelling plain. A little
desk is placed in the upper room, with a book upon
t, in which visitor, are requested to rip their names, and
around it is a collection of phet graphs and representations
of the most interesting objects to be seen in Stratford. In one
respect the artist has deputed from his original, viz., in
the arrangement of the staircase; and upon this point he
says it would have been useless to reproduce the stain, as
they are so narrow, that the MUM of ingress and egress to
the upper room would be much too circumscribed for a
large concourse of visitors. In order to meet this
difficulty Mr. Parris his ingeniously turned to account the
stairs of Dr. Johnson', chambers in the Temple, which the
Crystal Palace Company became possessed of some years
ago. These stain he has so arranged at the back of the
home, and has so covered them with a rusty coating of
colour; as to make them harmonise most artistically with
the room to which they lead ; and the general effect is at
once most agreeable and illusory. On the whole, Mr.
Parris may be congratulated upon having produced, sad the
directors upon having exhibited, a most interesting addition
to the already attractive features to be seen in the Crystal
Palace ; and there can be no doubt that both the artist and
the company will find their reward in an extended patron•
age.

The incsumeet will be inaugurated to-day at 2 o'clock. At
:1 a concert will take place, consisting of music emaciated
with Shakespeare, is which Mr. Leslie's choir of 120 voices
will join. Madame Pampa and Mr. Cummings will render
some of the most popular solos, accompanied by the baud
of the Company considerably strengthened, nixie,. the
guidance of Mr. MANI., which will also perform Nicolat's
o•ertme to the Merry Wires of Windsor, and other pions
with Shakespearian laths.

Duriei the concert a little surprise will be enacted, in
remission with the Shakespeare bonne, which it is believed
will interest the visitors, and be found to be not inappro-
priate to the oocaaion.

After the concert the interior of Shakespeare's house will
be shown, but in order to ensure due regularity in the ad-
mission of visitors, a small charge wiU be made.
On klooday and during next week, Shakespearian music
will be given daily in front of the house. and the presen-
tation of the photograph of the house to visitors to the
palace wall be continued daily.
The new season tickets, which are now being issued, will
be admitted from Satunisy, April 23 to April 30, 1863, in-
clusive.