The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-27 00:00:00

EXHIBITIONS.

CRYSTAL PALAC/L—Although the rain scarcely ceased
for a minute during the whole of yesterday a great many
people managed to find their way out to Sydenham, and
to spend a very pleasant morning there, not exactly al
fresco, but in a garden such as December would not in
our climate seem disposed to tolerate. The music of two
military bands, alternating with that of the Crystal Pa.
lace Company, continually enlivened the air, and the
birds sang in the bushes as though it were summer, and
the ♦isitors enjoyed themselves as they would on any
other holiday. After 4 o'clock, when dusk came on,
paper lanterns were lighted along the stalls in the
centre of the building, and the illumination of a row of
Christmas trees afforded an agreeable and seasonable
novelty, in addition to the other attractions of the place.
This BRITISH 11117SEUSI.—The Museum is always one
of the most attractive holiday exhibitions in the metro-
polis ; but the extremely unfavourable weather of yester-
day produced an effect even here. The rain, which be-
gan to fall in the morning, doubtless prevented the in-
flux of some thousands from the country, and the visi-
tors to the Museum were proportionately curtailed.
About 6,000 persons passed through the rooms in the
course of the day. On previous occasions of this anni-
versary the number has reached 8,000 or 9,000. No
♦ery striking novelty has recently been added to the
collection, so as to call for special remark. The new
reading-room is progressing satisfactorily, but some con-
siderable time will yet elapse before it is available for
its purpose.

The NATIONAL GALLERY literally swarmed with visi-
tors of every degree and age. Considering the educa-
tional tendency of such an institution, and the numbers
who weekly visit, it is greatly to be regretted that more
attention is not paid to the selection and arrangement of
the pictures. The training of the public mind through
the study of pictures—one of the great objects, if not
the principal object, which led to the formation of the
National Gallery—would appear to be completely lost
sight of. Not only are the subjects of the paintings
oftentimes meretricious, and in some instances vulgar,
but the pictures, as specimens of art, are, in too many
cases (despite the enormous price they have cost), un-
worthy of a place in a national collection. Great reform
and good direction are greatly needed in this Govern-
ment institution.

THE ARCHITECTURAL EXHIBITION, SUFFOLK-STREET.
In spite of adverse influences, this gallery, containing
so large a collection of works of beauty and utility, had
its quantum of visitors yesterday. As there is in this
exhibition so much to inform the taste in architecture,
and afford notions of economy and comfort in matters
relating to building, it is difficult to say who amongst
the community are not interested in paying it a visit.
POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.--The reputation enjoyed
by this institution was fully exemplified yesterday.
Every seat at every lecture was occupied, and the
various galleries wore filled the livelong day and evening
too with an eager throng bent upon making the bent
use of their eyes. In deference to the very natural de-
sire of holiday visitors to see as much as they can, ex-
periments had been substituted in most cases for lec-
tures—an arrangement which gave evident satisfaction.
Mr. Wylde's experiments in electricity were deservedly
appreciated. The last one, that of sending the electric
light front the floor of the lecture•reom up to the gallery
by means of two conducting lines, produced a beautiful
effect, and seemed to electrify the audience. Everything
worthy of observation appeared to be attentively
scanned ; and we were glad to see that David Hull,
the blind basketmaker, whose dexterity in his self
taught calling is surprising, received also a goodly
share of attention. Nothing is more delightful on these
occasions than to witness the order which prevails
among the rougher portion of the audience, clearly de-
monstrating that the latter are not among the least at-
tentive of the holiday makers.

THE PANOPTICON.—The number of persons who
visited this establishment augured well for the success of
the special entertainment provided for the season. The
diving apparatus, the subaqueous electric light, the lu•
minous and chromatic fountain, and all the other scion-

tific exhibitions —the musical performances on the organ,
and by the Orpheus Glee Club—the dioramic views re-
presenting the story of Whittington and his Cat, with
Mr. L. S. Buckingham's well-delivered accompanying
narrative—all met with their due share of favour from
the visitors.

WYLD'S GLOBE, LEICESTER-SQUARE.—This resort for
varied and really important information appears to be
daily gaining in point of interest ; and the public would
also seem to be impressed with this belief. The build-
ing was thronged yesterday. In every department the
war was receiving illustration. In one part the siege of
Sebastopol was being well explained before a crowd of
hearers, who had the advantage of being seers also, the
lecturer availing himself of a capital model of the Black
Sea stronghold and its environs, on a sufficiently large
scale to show both the peculiarities of the ground and
the strategic dispositions of the allied armies. Lectures,
also illustrated by means of large detailed models, follow
on Cronstadt, its dangerous channels and coasts, S wea-
borg and Helsingfors, and other fortresses in the Baltic.
The lecture delivered in the Great Globe itself consisted
of a brief sketch of the rise and progress of Russian
power, the lecturer availing himself of the ample oppor-
tunity afforded him to point out the various neighbour-
ing countries which Russia has in so short a time suc-
ceeded in annexing to her own. Here we found a nu-
merous audience seated in the immediate vicinity of the
North Pole, listening attentively to the lecturer. So
numerous are the objects connected with the military
art, and so well are they explained, either with the aid
of the original objects themselves or carefully executed
models, that the merest novice in such matters who care-
fully inspects the contents of this exhibition must needs
picks up very good information in a very short time.
FENTON'S CRIMEAN PHOTOGRAPHS.—This very inte-
resting exhibition has lately been removed to the Gal-
lery of the Society of Painters in Water Colours, in Pall-
mall. Its popularity having been so well established in
its former locality we were not surprised at finding it
well attended yesterday. Some subjects of interest have
lately been added to the collection.
MR. JAS. ROBERTSON'S PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE CRIMEA,
TAKEN AFTER THE FALL OF SEEA.STOPOL.--This exhibi-
tion is becoming will frequented—the very natural curio-
sity to see what we have spent so much blood and trea-
sure to obtain leading many daily to Mr. Kilburn's pho-
tographic establishment. The admirable modes of
defence adopted by the Russians are here clearly dis-
played. Great light is thrown upon the various descrip-
tions of the attacks upon Sebastopol by means of these
truth-telling sun pictures. A large number of very
attentive visitors found their way to this gallery yes-
terday.
ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.—The unfavourable state of the
weather considerably thinned the crowd who on most
festive occasions throng this portion of Regent's-park.
Those, however, whose naturalistic enthusiasm led them
to brave the " pitiless pelting" of the innumerable storms
by which the day was varied, appeared quite satisfied
with their investment of their holiday.
TURRISH EXHII3TTION.—Like many other similar
places of resort, the Turkish Exhibition suffered from
the unfavourable state of the weather, but the few who
did brave wind and rain to visit it yesterday must have
been edified and amused by what they saw. Presenting
as it does a vivid picture of Ottoman society in all its
fanciful varieties, the exhibition is peculiarly interesting
just now, while it possesses the additional attraction of
having amongst the collection of figures a life-like form
of the famous General Omer Pacha in full military uni.
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