The Express.
London, England, 1847-12-29 00:00:00

EXHIBITIONS FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

Cotosszum.—lt is a common observation with
foreigners that few cities contain finer city views thin Lon-
! don, but they all add this ill-natured qualification, that the
misty atmosphere prevents anything but • rare and ocea-
sional glimpse being attainable. To those who would enjoy
our metropolitan scenery without the dieagreeable adjunct
of metropolitan fogs we can cordially recommend • visit to
Mr. Bredwell's panorama, at the Coloweum. There they
will find • most correct delineation of the remarkable fea-
tures of the monster city, and seen with all the edrantages
of light and shade brought to bear In artistic fashion, and
through the medium- of an atmosphere free from ail the im-
purities with which commerce, and coals, and the anti-
sanitary predilections of the inhabitants, have loaded the
external air The illusion is very great. But the
attractions of the Colosseum do not end here. Below,
the hall of sculpture forms • warm and delightful pro-
menade surrounded with a profusion of marbles and casts,
among which we noticed this year several valuable additions.
Music has also been added, to the great delight of the visitors
who, when tired of wandering among the statues, sit down
and listen to • popular air exceedingly well played by Mr.
and Mrs. Colson. The Swim cottage, thestalactite cavern, and
the gothic aviary, are old favourites with the public, and do
not require any lengthened notice to render them attractive.
BURFORD'S PANORAMA, notwithr ending the dark
and murky state of the atmosphere, has commanded its fair
share of attraction during the present holiday time. The
pictures at present on view are, ns our more erudite sight-
seers fully know, three in number—vis., " The Himalaya
Mountains," which are appropriately depictured at the very
top of the building; "Athens, and the Neighbouring Tem-
ples ;" and lastly, the modern capital of Egypt, "Cairo."
It is not needful to enter into an elaborate criticism of the
merits of these respective penoramas, seeing that, having
stood the test of public inspection for some months, they
may fairly be supposed to have become hardened and indal-
ferent to praise or censure, if it were possible for any one
to cast • slur over them. It will suffice. therefore, to
suggest one or two reflections on the different locales of
the spectator as he stands in the centre of each scene gazing
on the three different spheres of Mussulman action in these
widely separated portions of the globe. In the Himalaya
panorama the ground chosen for viewing a portion of these
splendid excrescences, as Professor Sedg wick calls them, is an
elevated mound, situated within the secondary range, and
about two miles distant from the mountain station of Kass-
oolah, the officers' bungalows being scattered profusely
around the station. In the distance, to the far north-east,
stand the two holy peaks of Gungo-tre and Jumno-tre, the
bases of which form the object of weary pilgrimage to thou-
sands of devout and credulous Hindoo pilgrims, to whom
the Braminieal legends of the Avatars and other world-old
fables are even now a stern and credible reality. At
this sacred spot the Mahommedan conquerors of India
were formerly wont to levy a poll-tax, much in the
same way as our friends in Leadenhall-street or their
deputies in the lower provinces of Bengal exact • tribute
from the benighted wretches who annually resort to the
idol Juggernaut. To revert, however, to the pano-
rama, the spectator turning to the west is told that in
that direction lies Simlah, the scene of some future Goveraor-
General's regal state, and the sad sight of Lord Auckland's
tent when he was-ater-persuaded by women and their
aides de camp to enter upon the Affghan war.—Let this
suffice for the grandest of Mr. Burford's scenic views; the
second in rank is Mehemet Ali's capital, Cairo, which cer-
tainly is more attractive than the others, being fall of life
and its most vivid symptoms. In the foreground is the en-
campment of the hadj or pilgrimage, which annually departs
from the head quarter of Mahomm denim (Istamboul)
with the tribute of the Sultan to the officiating priests, who
in regular succesuon (with • slight interruption when the
Wahabees carried off the black stone) have presided over the
ablutions of the faithful at the holy temple of Mecca. Our
last year's • shoe, Ibrahim Pomba, is, as in duty bound, on
the spot, regulating the ceremonies of the pilgrimage, which
constitute one of the epoebsof the Mahatma= year, much in
the same way that our periodical festivals or observances do.
On one side of the .pectator is sited the Fortress-Palace of
the wily Viceroy, sod the place from whieh the only Manse-
lake who escaped the slaughter of the be's, by leaping hie
horse over a parapet of 90 feet fall, is distinctly to be ob-
served. The enormous number of mosques (places of
worship), 4.50, to a population of 260,000, suggests the
idea that Mehemet Ali's subjects are somewhat closely
watched by their spiritual superiors, and indeed Mr. Lane's
admirable account of the inhabitants of Cairo confirms the
suggestion. In the distance, and on the high road to Suez,
may be seen en omnibus going at • galloping pace, filled
probably with some raw cadets, and if they ace in luck, with
some sage in the shape of a Titmarth, who may enlighten
their understandings during the 26 bouts' journey, as to the
historical associations of their route.—But enough of Cairo,
and let Athens now claim a modicum of attention, though
(from the vulgar and hackneyed character of the Panorama)
only a very slender one. The view is taken from
a rising ground, within a short distance of the
Parthenon, the modern city being quite hidden by
the mound on which this ruin stands ; the sur-
rounding scenery it superfluous to describe, almost to
allude to, as everyone likely to take an interest in the picture
eon truce in memory the most striking objects from the
Temple of Theseus, in the distance, to the remains of that
of Jupiter on the other extreme. The vulgarity of the pie- I
tare consists chiefly in the nvirchazged groups of Greek
peasants and others, who are dancing al fresco in the fore-
ground, and who are alt'igether overcharged and out of
keeping with the rest of the picture. The whole *tries,
however, constitute a consistent whole, and, to the spectator
who tarries a recollection of the past in his mind, cannot
fail to afford agreeable and instructive subjects for reflection.
POLYTECHNIC INSTlTUTlON.—Notwithstanding the
numberless amusements in the metropolis which, than their
more popular features, might seem to pogo a superior at-
tractions in the eyes of the holiday people, this excellent in-
stitution, which has for so many years maintained a high
reputation for its illustrations of all the remarkable disco-
veries in modern science, has had its fair proportion of
visitors during the week. Last evening there wire a large
number of persons present, who appeared to take consi-
derable interest in the various wonders exhibited. Among
the recent additions to the institution may be noticed a
model of Mr. Elijah Galloway's invention for faci-
litating the ascent and descent of railway carriages upon
steep gradients. A suceessful trial of that apparatus was
made not long ago upon • large hale, end a work-
ing model has been deposited here, the principles of
which were fully explained. Hyde's new asthma- I
rine conversing apparatus, Clan en's patent railway, and
Mackintosh's revolving engine, bad all their place among
this collection of modern invention, is addition to number-
less minor matters relating to improvements in science and
manufactures. The remainder of the entertainments last
evening conais ed of lectures on chemistry and ventilation
.hy Drs. Ryan and Baehhoffoer, dissolving views, &c. Ex-
periments were also made by the diver to test the power of
pursuing practical operations under water, and the diving-
bell was, as usual, placed at the disposal of visitors who were
=dined to descend to the bottom of the tank. It is satis-
factory to observe the undiminished popularity of an institu-
tion which deservedly rank. among the most useful and in-
teresting places of public mart in the metropolis.
MADAME TOMBAUD'B EXHIBITION. This col-
lection has become so well known, that we scarce
needrefer to it, except by way of reminiscence to our
younger Mends, whom, more eepecially, it is calcu-
lated to furnish with an hour's gratification of an instructive
kind. The mere circumstance that we have here assembled
close portraits of many of the most famous persons of ancient
and of modern times, attired in the habit of the respective
period, constitutes a sufficient claim on the part of Madame
Tuseaud to a share of public favour. Among the figures
added since we ourselves paid the gallery a visit, are those
of Jenny Lind, u the Vivondhae, an excellent resem-
blance; Madame Grisi, a very recent and good portrait;
and Cobden. The hall of exhibition presents »sill a most
animated effect, when lighted up in the evening, and
thronged with visitors; of whom there could net have been
fewer than a thousand while we were there.
_ _

MINING ROYALTY OF NEW ZEALAND.—The Queen
Ina issued, in last night', Gazette, additional instructions,
under the Royal high Manuel and Signet, to the Governor
in• Chief et New Zoeland, for altering the royalty to be re.
sawed ea minerals raised from waste lanes in that colony, so
as to be in future 15 per cent. of the said minerals.
GE3MANY.—PRTBSIA.—BBELTN, DECEMBER 24.
Tin CASS OF M. DOMMIROWSILL—The Prussian Universal
Gazette of the 23rd contradicts in the mat formal manner
the statement of an attempt by the Russian authorities to
carry off M. Dombrowski.