The Express.
London, England, 1866-09-04 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL-HALL

The fears at first entertained that the articles
sent for exhibition would be lost in so large a space
as the Agricultural-hall are proved to have been
without foundation. The ground door is covered,
and the galleries are fully occupied upon floor and
wall. Profiting by the experience gamed at other
exhibitions, where crowding was more the rule
than the exception, ample space has now been given
for the exhibitors and visitors, notwithstanding
that the committee were often tempted to increase
the number of things exhibited at the expense of
peonage room. The committee in their disposition
of the goods have displayed sufficient judgment and
taste to make each stand borrow effect from its

neighbour. There are 24 demean and sections, ex- 1
tending over the entire collection, but some of the
articles are merely for exhibition. As it has been I
frequently urged that the admission of trades- '
men's stock into working men's exhibitions was
a serious fault, it is but right to re-
mark that the large majority of articles now
shown in the Agricultural-hall are the produc-
tions of working men proper. The committee
have, indeed, strictly prohibited any but the han-
diwork of the genuine working man being entered
for competition. Around the gallery rail►ng's are
hung up the names of the chief towns in England,
but the contributions from some of them, notably
Manchester, are surprisingly few. Bristol, Bir-
mingham, Norwich, and Plymouth rank highest in
the list of provincial exhibitors ; and, as one would
naturally expect, the most numerous of London
exhibitors live in Clerkunwell, Islington, and the
North Eastern district generally. bkilled work-
men of course predominate in the entries, but the
comparatively large number of 152 amateurs have
entered the lista with productions that often bear
fair comparison with the best of professional
achievements. Ninety-three clerks compete, and
the catalogue gives the names of a dozen exhibitive
who are entered as labourers. Of lady competitors
there are 223, and very handsome are many of the
needlework specimens they display, although com-
petition in this domestic art is not by any means
confined to the gentler sex. In one of the corners
upstairs there is a series of stands devoted to the
productions of the Bagged Schools, the where-
' abouts of which may easily be ascertained by the
numerous "God bless the Earl of Shaftesbury"
inscribed in bold characters by the grate.ul pen or
! needle of some humble aspirant.

It was intended from the commencement to give
the exhibition the two-fold character of business
and pleasure. The former was to be illustrated by
exhibitions of skill, competition for prizes in prac-
tical inventions, &c., and the sale of articles not
obtaining prizes, on the Art Union system.
Amongst things more ornamental than useful,
visitors to the exhibition should not neglect to in-
spect the works of art lent for the occasion by the
South Kensington Museum, and by Mr. Gladstone.
They are arranged in a gallery specially fitted up
for their reception. Small collections of old paint-
ings and miscellaneous curiosities have also been
lent by private friends of the undertaking. Several
models and drawings have been supplied by the
Society for Improving the Condition of the Work-
! ing Classes, and they will no doubt prove particu-
larly interesting now that so much is being said
and written about dwellings for working people.
Of the practical part of the exhibition it need only
further be remarked, that the usual diversities of
novel contrivances and improvements ; furniture
and wearing apparel ; wood, metal, and marble
carvings ; paintings, designs, and models ; and
curiosities that can come under no special head,
are to be found in as new and glittering a garb as
it is possible to provide. Altogether, the Agricul-
tural Hall presents a very pretty and interesting
spectacle.
The inaugural ceremony yesterday, which com-
bined amusement with formal business, was well
attended by spectators. Shortly after 3 o'clock a
procession of committeemen escorted the chairman,
Mr. R. C. Hanbury, M.P., to the platform. Behind
his seat, upon the orchestra seats, were seated about
1,000 members of the Tonic Sol-fa Association.
Dr. Spark, of Leeds, the organist, commenced the
proceedings by playing a triumphal march, composed
by himself for the event. The Old Hundredth
Psalm was next sung. The secretary (Mr. Watts),
at its conclusion, read a report issued by the council.
It gave a narrative of the origin and progress of
the scheme, explained the principles upon which
the committee had invited and selected articles for
exhibition, thanked the numerous parties to whose
aid they were indebted, and sketched out a pro-
gramme of the entertaitunents to be given while
the exhibition remains open. The chairman and
half-a-dozen gentlemen then made a hurried jour-
ney round the building, while Dr. Spark favoured
the company with another organ performance.
On the chairman's return, the chief event of
the day—the performance of the inaugural
music was commenced by the choir, with
Mrs. `inning and Mr. Weiss as soloists. The piece
was entitled "An Ode to Labour." The Tonic
Sol-fa Association had offered a prize for the com-
position, and it was obtained by Dr. Spark, the
Leeds organist. The words were written by Mr.
John Plummer, formerly a Kettering operative.
The ode, which was a ispecies of opera, opened in
full chorus, calling upon visitants from Owing
for4e, rich cornfields, swift-paced looms, crowded
mills, workshops dirt, and deep dark mine, to
"Come, conic, come." Asenii-cleans took up in a
couple of verses the response ; then followed a
song; then a full chorus, then a chorus of children,
another of women, and a third of men ; concluding
with a second song ; another chorus, and a hy..ni
of praise. The verses are most creditable ; every
one of them has the true ring of ciear vigorous
sense and good feeling. The music was striking
and appropriate, and throughout played with re-
cision and spirit. Before the' last notes had died
away loud cheers were given from all parts of Use

half.
In a brief and suitable speech the chairman then
declared the Exhibition opened. He expressed
the pleasure he felt in occupying the chair, which
he announced but for ill-health would have been
filled by Earl Russell. Descanting upon the ad-
vantages to be derived by employers and employed,
and by society generally, from working men's ex-
hibitions, conducted by themselves, and upon their
own responsibility, he congratulated the directors
upon their wisdom in providing supplementary mu-
sical and other entertainments, which he urged
must insure complete pecuniary success. The hon.
gentleman, having enumerated the benefits derived,
and to be derived, remarked that he saw in the
present Exhibition an amo.int of intelligenee,.en-
thusiasm, and devotedness, that (polities spar.)
satisfied him that many of our working men might
with the greatest propriety, and with positive be-
nefit to the commuity, be intrusted with the fran-
chise. Encouraged by the cheers of the audience
the hon. member went on—" And as an ardent
friend of the working classes, I would say to their
representatives present here to-day, that in no
way can they better, more surely, and more
speedily attain what they and I believe to be their
rights than by quietly, peaceably, and industriously
labouring in the production of mechanical con-
trivances, of scientific and useful instruments,
of
ornamental and architectural models and works of
art. In this way will they show to all, that to no
class, to no section of the community is confined
that taste, cultivation, and education, which are
alike to the advantage of the possessor and the
country at large, and which shall, sooner el-later,
secure for each the benefits to be derived from a
right exercise of the privileges of citizens." Ae
soon as the applause which those remarks natu-
rally caused had subsided. the chairman concluded
by hoping that the divine blessing would rest upon
the Exhibition and everything connected with it.

[TWOPENC

The Rev. Dr. Miller then read a prayer ; the choir
gave the Hallelujah chorus ' • a vote of thanks was
given to the chairman, and acknowledged by him ;
the author of the ode, and the composer of its
music were called before the table, and rewarded
with enthusiastic cheers and thanks ; and Wil-
-1 mately the ceremony was brought to a close by
the National Anthem.
The Exhibition will remain open for several
weeks, and the programme for the tint fortnight
shows that a concert, vocal or instrumental, will
take place every evening.