The Express.
London, England, 1868-04-11 00:00:00

CEYETAL PALACE.

The Good Friday gathering at the Crystal
Palace has gradually come to be ea great apastime and Be-
thnal institution as 'Ulm. 'be University boat race or the
Dab) &Y. /vary riesestive year sines the date of the
first anniversary oelebr toe has semi the opening of new
railways, and every new railway opened ihas sc►ed as a
feeder for the ended Priebe on Good Friday. Figures, it is
said, can be made to trove anything, hot there can be no
doubt of their re3atility as showing the gradual growth
of the semi-senors, seasonable, and exceedingly attractive
entertainment which now sanually marks Good Friday
with a white stone at Sydenhem. On Good Friday, 1856,
the numbers of visitors admitted were 17,507 ; 1857,
27,448; 1858, 26,t 99 ; 1889,37,763 ; 1860, 37,045; 1861,
50,912 ; 1.862, 41,121 ; 1863, 42,309; 1864, 53,303 ; 1865,
41,887 ; 1866, 48,247 ; 1887, 47,943; 1868, 46,859. Oct of
the above twelve anniversaries, tea were fine, one foggy,
and only one very wet. The greatest attendance was in
1861, whoa the especial attractions included the tinging of
Madame Rudersdorff, Mr. 8. Reeves, and Mr. Bentley.
Yesterday, the Good Friday of 1868, we had once more for
the music Madame Rndersdorff, Mr. Rims Reeves, and
Mr. S.ntley, and in addition Madame Draadil, Mr.
Harper, and Mr. Levy. The concert, as usual, began
with "The Old Hundredth," sung in unison, and with
stupendous effect by the vast assemblage, and which was
followed by a selection from the sacred music of Handel,
Mendelsohn, and Ccsta. With such singers as we have
above enumerated, and all singing tine which have become
long since identified with their names, it is not weed-
sary to do more than state that in each ease the artist
hilly sustained his or her reputation. Only one air shall
we specify as producing an effect that was almost electric.
Mr. Sims Reeves' " Sound an Alarm" was delivered in hie
best style, and applauded with the utmost enthusiasm.
Besides the music, the attraction consisted of two wonder.
ful " Little Men" from Italy, and an equally remarkable
" Big Man" from the United States. Of the little men
the usual particulars may be stated. They are as remark•
able for their symmetry and intelligence as for their dimi-
nutive stature. They ere the children of a prolific father
and mother, and have left behind them, at Ferrara, eleven
brothers and sisters of more than fhe ordinary stature.
This much, however, may be said of them without any
exaggeration, that they are smart, vivacious little fellows,
have been well drilled, and will no doubt prove attractive
in the coming holidays. The giant is a Norwegian, as tall
as one of the pines of his own land, and as strong as a
Viking. He is, although nearly 8 feet in height, well pro.
portioned ; and, having served in the American army, has
learned to carry himself so as to set off his immense height
to the best advantage.

COMNINCEIIRNT OF THZ EXCURSION SISSON. -
Notwithstanding the number of persona--attracted by the
imitation of " extension of time of return tickets "—who
left Lon ion on Thursday, the excursion season proper
commenced yesterday. At an early hour in the morning
a busy scene was presented at the 'event railway stations,
and among the general company there was • large number
of volunteers destined for Portsmouth. The three-shilling
tripe to Brighten and back were Imply patronised—the
excursionists booking from London-bridge, Victoria, and
Kensington being in excess of them of the same day last
year. From the former station alone three trains were
despatched to Brighton, consisting in all of about 00 car-
doges. A cheap train also left London-bridge for
Hastings and another for Portsmouth ; and in
addition to the ready response to the low tariff
to most of the stations in the service of the
Loudon, Brighton, and South Coast Railway, there were
"up " excursions from all parts of the line. In con-
nexion with the London, Chatham, and Dover line, well-
Med trains proceeded from Ludgate-hill and Victoria to
Margate, Hastings, fee. From the Waterloo terminus a
densely packed train left for Southampton, Portsmouth,
Salisbury, tax, " returning on the same day ;" and the
stations—in the MIN company's service—at Twickenham,
Richmond, Teddington, Kew. Hamptoneourt, ho., were
resorted to by some thousands of persons. Juvenile
anglers eagerly availed themselves of the short cheap
journeys on the Great Eastern Railway, by which route
the Rye-house found. as usual, many admirers. The
Charingerose, Cannon-street, and London-bridge stations
of the South Eastern line were besieged with travellers
to all parts ; and besides those booking for distant jour-
neys, cm unprecedented number selected Greenwich-park
as the main attraction. Evidently vying with the
"cheap trains" to Gravesend and bask advertised by
the South Eastern—vie the " loop Line," As —the
Tilbury and Southend line met with a pest increase of
their Mae at the reduced fare of is 4d. The Metrepoli-
tan (underground and eaten/kee) Railway despatched
trim in rapid meeession during the day ; and on the
Great Western, North Western, and Great Northern lines
the traffic will exhibit a favourable return. The attrac-
tions at the Crystal Palace °medicably segmented the
traffic by the various modes of mayoress@ to Sydenhain.
The number booking from the Loudon-bridge terminus
reseed 16,000, whilst over 3,000 booked hem she " high
level" line, Ludgate-lull ; and the visitors from Victoria,
Kensington, to., were proportionately peat. Luang the
holiday folk many preferred • trip by water ; thousands
proceeded tip the river, and the saloon Assam, the Alex-
andra and Palmerston, left the Old Swam Pier well
laden with passengers. Hampstead-heath was thickly
covered with pleasareeeeken, and, with the axeeption or
shows sad roundabouts, almost all the adjunies of a pope-
tar /Mr wen to be seen ; " three stioks a penny," " cheap
Jacks," vendors of piper plumes, the " fun of the fair,"
oranges, nuts, ginger-beer, ho., were in abundance; and
kiss-in-the-ring and donkey-riding were amongst the most
eon spicuous of the 1810•111111111 ill.

:1 CDIUOI7/1 GOOD FSIDAIr BIQUISTS.-111 years
keg since pulped away many of oar ferefathem appear to
r have entertniaed some very Waage nohow' es to the mode
of distributiag their unplug cub. A; for isetsace, an in-
. habiteat of • City pariah who lived about four centuries
yo left six or eight @Magi to be expended anandly in
of faggots with which to Mum le
date.
drio*Whaliteetator, am Peter Elyaboado. by trill dated
Idatt, loft • sum of roomy that • terms' slight be
Lombardevery Oced Friday in the shank of Allhallows,
-street; ; sad at the sloes of the service provides
that •
to—ea sad • packet of minim or plums shall be
frovig ell of sixty of the younger sishe of Christ's
who attend suck eervion This =atom
wee observed yeeterdsy. The prayers wave read by
the Rev. IL W. Imeignsa snitpeeesbed
the semen
by the rector, the Rev. C. Ileelwasks. At the elms of
the service several other children pertlelpetail in the gift,
end number of poor persons resolved gabs of it
end
breed. Under the will of the same testator, it is woes
Unary to distribute on Whit Sunday sixty hams to par
parsons, the distribution baring, se dies tibia pies
over Symonds's grave in Liverpool-streek
The spot is sow °prink by tie ?Milroy teaminum lard
year the distribution took plane in the t of the lefsat
School room, Riettopegste-ohnrchyerd. I.
the
_parish of
80. Bartholomew the Great, • diner unknown left a onsil
ram of money to be distributed over his tomb en Good
Friday. That tomb, too, is now gene, and yesterday the
Rev. J. Abbias, after performing divine service in the
ancient alemelt, mate out Welke helps* Main to the
chunk, and upon • flat Mum there throw down twenty-
four mixprales, whisk were eagerly *bed up by • siedisr
number of aid wain who bad been provierat* seleeted
to receive the gift--City Paw
RoArleatis' three great prepezaiirms far the heir,
the cani=emeirsest the teeth, aro knows In sil ewe= of the
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panelless hive I=, me yeeporke eiths
gnaw mast• 'lCoMtir rim omutleden
In promisee paws ammo taddeme eammelee Ea-
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memmemelem 2fe ”Odenie" Ice ine Medi Ybieilag to ese
arms& ebb have end so Mar for nand len
yemsee -
lOW mem Mays the pet ewe um ode
prmineed peewee SI ow *dr te
sildbeled lefts demilinS ehaseetar of inkamt to Me
Mel Ina wine
maw raw
do NM Mew
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Walker's Beif-Eistoes Ha*
doolhal* iken Ineerelly sett straisgetkin Tit
VOW MO Yells. Welber, Maier, os,
laboa•—(Admetimesentl