The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-24 00:00:00

THE COLOSSEUM

OPENING OF THE NEW PANORAMA 0

THE LAKE OF THUN.

We were last evening favoured with a private view
of the new Panorama of the Lake of Triun, painted
by Messrs. Danson and Son, and which will be
opened to the public on Thure day. This magnifi-
cent work of art occupies the w hole of the immense
rotunda of the Colosseum, and is of the same size is
the panoramas of London and of Paris. The pwse,s-
sion of this immense space is of incalculable advan-
tage iu the delineation of the sublime scenery of
Switzerland, where every natural olject is on a scale
of immense magnitude, and this panorama of the
Lake of Thus, therefore, gives, as might have been
expected from its colossal size, a more just and
adequate idea of the ensemble of Swiss
scenery than any other similar exhibition that has
as yet been presented to the publi3 ; for its accuracy
we can vouch from our own personal know ledge of
the locality. There is the quaint old town of Thun
(from the northward of which the panorama is taken),
with its picturesque old buildings and its elegant
villas and cottages ; there is the lake, small though it
be, yet one of the most beautiful in Switzerland, dotted
with boats and steamers ; there are the sublime Alps
of the Bernese Oberland in the distance, shutting in
the valley and the lake ; and among them we distin-
guish the Wisterhorn, the Finsterhorn, and the
Jungfrau, rendered classical to the lover of English
poetry as the scene of Byron's Manfred, and here is
Interlachen, the frequented of the tourist. The
panorama is an accurate transcript of some
of the most beautiful scenery of Switzerland, and is,
as a work of art, decidedly the chef d'ceuvre of Denson.
During the short recess the whole of the interior of
this magnificent establishment has been restored and
redecorated. The conservatories have received several
valuable additions; the magnificent Hall of Sculpture
has been completely re-decorated; the Swiss cottage
and waterfall, the aviary, the Stalactite Cavern, and
the silver mine have all been renovated, and the as-
cending room has been newly fitted up. The Colos-
seum will, we opine, form one of the most attractive
of the Christmas exhibitions.

THE EXHIBITION OF 1851.
VISIT OF THE QUEEN.
At a quarter before eleven o'clock yesterday
morning the contractors of the great Exhibition
building received an intimation to the effect that at
eleven o'clock precisely her Majesty, accompanied by
Prince Albert, would pay a visit to the works. No
time was lost in preparing, as far as possible, for the
Queen's reception ; but beyond laying down a few
planks along the muddy avenues it was impossible for
the authorities to perfect any arrangements. At eleven
precisely the workmen were gathered in a crowd about
the entrance, and the Queen's carriage came up amid
loud cheers and other demonstrations of hearty loyalty.
Oa alighting her Majesty was received by the follow-
ing gentlemen, representing the Royal Commissioners,
with Lord Granville at their head :—Mr. Cubitt,
Colonel Reid, Mr. Cole, Mr. C. Wentworth Dilke,

Dr. Playfair, Colonel Lloyd, Mr. C. Wild, Mr. Owen
Jones, and Mr. M. Digby Wyatt. Mr. Paxton
and Messrs. Fox and Henderson, the contractors,
were also present. This was her Majesty's first
visit to the works, and her expressions of hearty ad-
miration were frequent. Her Majesty's attention
was particularly drawn to the men employed upon the
transept; and while her Majesty was on the ground
the first panes of glass were fixed in this part of the
building. On leaving the ground, after a stay of an
hour's duration, the royal party were loudly cheered
by the workmen. After the departure of her M jesty
Lord Granville clia.bed to the highest scaffolding in
the building with the object of getting a view of the
entire works; other eminent men have, in their en-
thusiasm, we are informed, dared the giddy height
and defied the muddy ladders.
On the 26th of September the first column of the
building was fixed in its place, and on the 26th of
this month the contractors have determined to fix the
last; on this day, also, the last girder will be fixed,
and after a few days' labour on the part of the gla-
ziers the great structure, to all external appearance,
will be finished. On the 31st, as we have already
stated, the Society of Arts have been invited to hold
a meeting in the building; we may add, that an emi-
nent professor of mechanics, of King's College,
London, will read to the meeting a scientific lecture
on the mechanics and economy of the building. The
rooms erected near the transept, for the Royal Com-
missioners, are commodious as well as numerous.