The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-28 00:00:00

MADAME TUSSAUD'S.

A more than usually large concourse of persons
visited the curiosities of this exhibition on Thursday ;
indeed, the place was so well filled that the company
and the wax figures formed at intervals a perfect mob
of the living and the effigies of those who were once
alive. The great room has been made much more
extensive than it originally was ; indeed, it is now so
large that it is amongst the largest rooms in the
kingdcm. In the alterations and additions good taste
has been consulted; the great room is admirably pro-
portioned and gorgeously decorated ; the decorations
are, however, in proper keeping with the character of
the edifice, and are neither fantastic nor barbarous. A
judicious alteration has been made in the situation of
the rooms in which the " Horrors," the relics of Na-
poleon, and the detached portions of the collection are
placed. What is called the " Hall of Kings" is a
noble room, and, in addition to the numerous figures
of monarchs, has a collection of full-length paintings
of many crowned heads and royal personages. The
effect of the whole is very magnificent, the coup dad
being very imp ,sing. There has been a completely
new arrangement of the figures, and anew outfit of
costumes, robes, lace, jewels, and the glittering para-
phernalia of Courts.

THE COLOSSEUM.
The proprietors of this place made, as usual, proper
preparations for the amusement of their Christmas
visitors, and were honoured during the day with a cor-
responding amount of public patronage. The interior of
the immense building presented a noble appearance,
and contained, in addition to the galleries of sculpture,
the panorama of Lisbon, and a list of other things
worth being seen, a new view, painted by Messrs.
Danson, in their best manner, of the Lake of Thun
and the scenery of the adjacent country. This view
occupies the place in which were formerly exhibited
the views of London and Paris, and is on the same
large scale of pictorial illustration. The view is taken
from an eminence to the northward of the town of
Thun, which is represented in the foreground, and
the peculiar buildings of which contrast well with the
rugged scenery of the mountains in the distance.
The reputation of Messrs. Danson in painting pano-
ramic views is well established, but it will be in-
creased by this, their most recent work. The view is
very correct as a representation of the lake, the town,
and the environs, it is well relieved by the introduc-
tion of various groups of figures, and the tone of
colouring is subdued and natural. This great work
elicited the praise of the numerous spectators by whom
it was seen.

MR. BURFORD'S PANORAMAS.
The attendance of visitors to this very old and
very meritorious place of exhibition was on Thursday
both numerous and respectable, and it is plain the
place has lost none of its original attractions, though
surrounded with rival exhibitions of a somewhat
similar character. The novelty for the occasion was
a very beautiful view of the lake and tower of Lu-
cerne, with the adjacent landscapes backed by the
Alpine range. This view has afforded the artist, Mr.
Robert Burford, an opportunity of exhibiting his
knowledge of his art in the various points in which
he most excels, and he has availed himself of them in
his usual excellent manner. The water of the lake
is beautifully transparent, and reflects the objects
around precisely as in nature. The magnificent
scenery in the background is made to contrast effec-
tively with the trimness of the landscape in the fore-
ground, and the almost grotesque buildings of the
town relieve the eye which has been gazing on the
summit of Mount Pilate and its kindred bills. The
whole is painted with great care and pains, and a
closeness to truth is the result. Groups of figurer,
boats, &c., are introduced, and enliven the general
scene. he tone of colouring is good ; there is a fine
sunny effect, and a brilliaucy without glare,

CUMMINGS'S SOUTH AFRICAN -

TION.

Guided by the intrepid Major Gordon Cummings's
Bushman Tracker, the spectator here roams among
the most remarkable collection of sporting trophies
that ever fell to the rifle of a daring huntsman in
their native wilds. The "Lion Hunting" Major's
volume is before the public, detailing his five years'
adventures, and here we have ocular demonstration of
his prowess in the remains of lions, elephants, rhino-
ceroses, hippopotami, and the like. The student,
the zoologist, and the idler may here well occupy an
hour.

THE NILE.
Pleasant timesthese, when you may pop into Picca-
dilly and have a peep at the pyramids fur a short cab
fare. This well •known and patronised picture of
Egyptian, Nubian, and Ethiopian scenery, enfolding
the grandeur of a perished people, and their departed
civilization, still vindicates its claim to attention, and
the Egyptian Hall was well frequented. As the moving
scene rolls slowly by, desert, ruined city, palm-grove,
temple, palace, pyramid, and obelisk, and rock-hewn
tomb, speak with the solemn voice of hoar antiquity, and
tell of a negro empire 4,000 years away in the dim dis-
tance of the world's young history, whose fame,
fondly trusted to sculptured granite, marble, and
porphyry, has passed away, and of whos annals the
very key of interpretation has been lost. IV 'importe,
at Christmastide we will leave these matters to
Champollion, Young, and the savans, and, with a smile
at the vanity of the royal founder of the first pyramid,
say,—

Let not a monument give you or me hopes,
Since not a pinch of dust remains of Cheops."

THE GANGES.

Diverging from Piccadilly to the north, we come
upon another majestic river deity, the not less sacred
"Gimp of the lotus-crown," who courteously invites
us to a view of its wonders. Again are we
struck with the agremens of modern travelling
in town. Five minutes since we were in Egypt,
here—

Far off from sunburnt Meroe,
From falling Nilus to the sea
That beats upon the Egyptian shore—
by the waters of the ro Ding Ganges, as its mighty
flood rolls by the " holy city of Benares," we
" See, with adventurous oar and ready sail,
The dusky people drive before the gale;
Or on frail floats to neighbouring cities ride,
Which rise and glitter o'er the ambient tide."
The views of Calcutta, the Hooghly, and Orissa, are
remarkably clear and picturesque. The moonlight
view of the Black Pagoda, and of the Temple of Jug-
gernaut, its idols and world-notorious car of immola-
tion, are very spirited. The procession is contrived
by a multitude of moving figures, which add much to
its animation and vraisemblance. Where is the Eng-

lishman who would not feel pride in gazing on this
gorgeous country, its palaces, rivers, and towns, and
reflecting that this little island in whose capital he
stands, by the energy and enterprise of its sons, bad
possessed and ruled, and let us hope will yet civilise
and Christianise, her debased millions.