The Express.
London, England, 1851-05-02 00:00:00

Eke erortoo.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

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LONDON, FRIDAY', X.ll- 2.

TIIE first of May, 1851, was as genial and bright
as if there had been no holiday to bo spoiled by its
being otherwise. Accordingly, all London was astir
betimes. Front Charing-cross to Kensington, and
from Ilol!writ to Whitehall, every thoroughfarewas
by ten o'clock thronged with undulating currents of
guy passengers; the other parts of the metropolis
presented, to those whom accident compelled to visit
them, much the same aspect as they do on some find
summer Sunday, when all the church-goers are in
church, and all the rest (with the exception of a few
domestics engaged in cooking the dinners of zealous
promoters of bills fur shutting up Sunday cook-shops)
out of town.

It is no exaggeration to say that the spectacle
within the Crystal Palace fur exceeded, in impress-
ive beauty, what the most sanguine could have
anticipated. To the surprise of those who had
seen the interior of the building only a few days
before, the arrangement of the costly and
valuable articles exhibited was complete; a minute
inspection might have shown defects, but the general
effect was perfcct and satisfactory. The beholder
felt himself in a lightsome, airy, spacious world,
under an invisible cover, protecting him from all in-
clement airs. The brilliant and contrasting colours
of the holiday dresses of the thronging. visitants—
the silvery living play of the fountain in the sun—
the gorgeous magnificence of the guy eastern wares
and arms—the breathing poetry of the statuary—
the fresh rustling of the leaves of the trees—all were
sources of intensely pleasurable feelings in them-
selves, and attuned the mind to the impressions it
was subsequently to receive.
This state of preparation was carried to a higher
pitch by the music. The " God save the Queen"
accordcdwith the sentiments of the auditors, and the
grand chorus of the " Hallelujah" swelled out in
harmony like the noise of many waters heard in some
apocalyptic vision, making the hearts of the hearers
vibrate like the glass of the edifice that inclosed
them.

Anything trivial, common-place, or unsympathis-
ing•, in the human performers, who were to breathe
a living soul into this aggresate of elementary
charms, would have spoiled all. But the task had
devolved upon performers worthy of the occasion.
The reverend grace of the Archbishop of CANTEIt-
BURY imparted a charm to the brief end unostenta-
tious act of devotion which hallowed the whole. Her
NIAJESTY entered into her part with a heartiness
and vivacity that curried the willing sympathies of
all around her. Every one of her attendants caught
the genial contagion, and in not the least degree
the veteran hero of Assays, the Peninsula and
Waterloo, the statesman who gave us catholic eman-
cipation, and whose resolute zeal brought the House
of Lords to their senses when they let full the corn-
law from their reluctant grasp. The Duke of WEL-
LINGTON contemplated the scene with as much of
pleased vivacious interest as if it had been his
twentieth instead of his eighty•second birthday.
Viewing the spectacle as no more than a gay and
glittering ovation of industrial triumph, it was a
scene such as earth has never before witnessed.
There never was before an industrial exposition to
which so many remote and varied lands and com-
munities had sent their contributions. There never
before WAS one in which so much of mere material
wealth, enhanced by the immense amount of inven-
tive, persevering intelligence and industry to which
it bore testimony, was accumulated. There never
was one spread out to the gaze of the spectators in a
structure every way so worthy of it. It was worthy
of our QUEEN, and without even the suspicion of
flattery, we may add, our Qui:EN was worthy of it.
Our retrospect would leave more than half the
talc untold, did it leave unnoticed the motley
groups who crowded the park while this im-
posing ceremonial was being performed within
the Crystal Palace. Homely many of them might
be, but all seemed happy. Doubtless, there is a
great accumulation of foreigners in London just
now, but they were lost in the ocean of London
population, swelled as it is by the influx of pro-
vincial visitors disgorged during the last few
days from all the railways. The aspect of the
crowd was entirely, exclusively English. And a
more good-natured populace than that of England,
and of London in particular, does not exist. If any
of these "raw-head and bloody-bone" ementiera who
have been haunting the waking and sleeping dreams of
tory and protectionist old women for the last few weeks
were present yesterday in Hyde-park, they must
have felt instinctively that it was no place for them
and their vagaries. They must have felt that
they were among a multitudinous crowd of
which not one had the remotest sympathy
with their savagery, and who were strong
and numerous enough to have crushed them
by simple pressure, had they attempted to move a
finger in the way of doing mischief.
The Prince of Parsst t, who was a guest at this
feast, may take home with him a lesson from the
events of yesterday, as well as any red republi-
can or socialist who may have been prowling
about. He saw the QUEEN of a country, rent
at this moment by the contending ambition of
protectionists, Irish ¶ultra-Romanists, and other
parties too numerous to recapitulate. But all
carry on their contests within the verge of the
law, meet in harmony and good humour on
holiday occasions, and send up one unani-
mous, heart-felt acclaim in honour of the
sovereign of their hearts as she passes attended
only by half-a-dozen guards for form's sake, not
protection. The military were nowhere to be seen ;
the police required a close and searching gaze to
find them out. This safety of the throne, this bro-
therly forbearance of the people with one another, is
'due to no superior wisdom inherent in our nation.
When we look back on our constitutional history,
we find records of conflicts as fierce and aim-
less as any that Prussia or Germany have lately
passed through. Out of these we have emerged;
less by foreseeing wisdom than by judicious acqui-
escence in the lessons of experience. Let the
royal family of Prussia take the hint. They have
it in their power to rear on the love and contidenerst
of the German people a throne us secure and pleasant
to occupy as that on which Queen VicroutA is r.ow
seated.

A more suitable and appropriate day could not
possibly have been chosen for the second reading of
the Jews' Emancipation Bill, than that which will
long be memorable, on account of the opening of the
Great Exhibition. In the midst of mutual gratula-
dons, and at the opening of the spleraid festival of
industry, of which our country is so justly proud,
there was a peculiar propriety in Parliament having
determined to devote its special attention to the alle-
viation of the lot of the only unprivileged and un-
righted race amongst us.
At noon, all tongues and kindreds were wel-
comed to the feast of industry and peace ;
and at sun-down, the legislature fitly applied itself to
the performance of the sole remaining act of justice
which, of its kind, remains still unaceouvlished.
All nations had been in the morning =dr, to feel as
brethren, so far as social courtesies Fuld the frank
icwgnition of equal freedom were cer,cemed ; and in
, the evening, what could be worthier of the senate of
a great people, than the dedieuti-Ju of its deliberative
powers to the liberation of tk.e only political bond-
! men within our borders ? 'Every wise and good man
, in the realm will anreciate and approve the not
unintentional select/era of such a day for such a
work,

let there were found a dozen individuals to
object, and, by their votes, anxious to thwart so just
and generous a design. But, as if conscious of the
unseemliness and ungracinesn,..wof utat they strove