The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-28 00:00:00

THE DIORAMA.

The dioramas on view were representations of the
Abbey Church of St. Ouen, at Rouen, and of the Ex-
terior of the Cathedral of Notre Dame, at Paris. They
are both painted by M. Renoux, who has obtained great
celebrity in this country, for his happy talent in this
species of painting. They are perfect optical illusions ;
and when the gradual alteration of effect from open day-
light to tle3 gloom of night is in progress, the spectator
Ands it difficult to conceive that he is not standing in the
is oned:ate vicinity of the piles, the mimic representation
pf sfhich he is contemplating.
T 11.14 COSMORAMA, REGENT-STREET.
These delightful views attracted much notice. The
reptusentatious consist of the Colossal Statues of the
Plain of Thebes in Upper Egypt, the Exterior of the
Pantheon at Rome, La bier de Glace in Savoy, the Ex-
ter:or and Interior of St. Peter's at Rome, the Eruption
of Mouut Vesuvius, in action ; the Lake of Thun, and
the Ilippodtome at Constantinople. These views are
painted ith so perfect an air of reality, that it is impos-
sil l not to witaire them. Some pleasing variations in
„the ctLet of light are occasionally made, which add
--twerially to the interest of this exhibition.
POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.
:fir. Horn's lectures upon the music of eight different
rot t.:,-,ntinue to be the principal novelties at this in-
structive ; and they,
y the oau
the ohysioseop,,
th:eh largedro-electric concourmseachine, of miscellanp enqu,e
wieroscove, and t; e
toys and instrutnents, Are capital objects for the atten-
tion and delectation of Whitsun visitors. There are
several items of noveby added to the miscellaneous
stores of this institution, and a now set of dissolving
iews.

ADELAIDE GALLERY.
This is alv•sys a favourite haunt with holiday folks,
and properly so, for it contains a vast number of objects
„y the g,„kst int,rest. Some accessions have been
made late 1v to the stores of curious things with which
its elm:libels and galleries are loaded. There are models,
philosophical toys. and optical instruments in abundance;
and at stated intervals there are short lectures on scientific
sa..-cl general topics, which are full of amusing practical
tilu.:trations. The dissolving views are still as fresh and
1,13 beautiful as ever ; and then there is the steam gun,
the goo microscope, Monck Mason's aerial machine, be-
sides wooden railroads—the examination of which inter-
miuOn vary instructively with the disquisitions on mes-
merism, phrenology, anti mechanics, which are in pe-
riodical delivery by the professors in attendance. Mr.
Clauget's colhetiou of photograph portraiture is one of
Tale principal notabilities of the place, and the process
itself may be seen in action on the roof of the gallery by
the patentee and his assistants.
14,c,
good of their kind. The proprietor employs just now a
strong orchestra, capable of executing any description of
music ; and the vocalists, in conjunction with it, are by
po means uninteresting and unskilful people.
EGYPTIAN HALL.

General Tom Thumb is still the principal exhibition
at g,f, gse rooms, and the 1 üb!ie interest in him does not
teem io abate with acquaintance. Since the presenta-
tion of tti." little hero at Court, he has become an object
of especial ptronage among the nobility and gentry, at
svhose soirees .he is almost as frequent a visitor as the
American Minisuer himself. For the Whitsun folks
there is no doubt he will be a great card. Not only
does he go through his Grecian statues, sing Yankee
songs, and take snuiT as Napoleon, but at half-past
twelve in the morning he paces the platform in the iden-
tical court-dress in which he paid his respects to the two
Queens of England and the juvenile members of the
:Royal Family. Think of that ye holiday-maker's ! A
pretty sight is the General in this official coat of plum-
coloured velvet, this waistcoat of embroidered satin,
these stockings of silk, and these ruffles of lace. Besides
the attractions of the General, there are other things
worth looking at in the room where he exhibits. There
is Mr. Catlin's celebrated gallery of pictures, contain-
41g multitudinous delineaLions of the prairie life, war-
fare, and costume of the Red ft;dians of North America.
General Tom Thumb takes leave of the London pub-
tic on Saturday next, when, it is stated, he goes over to
Faris to make his obeisance to Louis Philippe.

THE EXHIBITION OF THE DECORATIVE WORKS FOR
THE NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.—This exhibition at
the St. James' Bazaar, although better attended yester-
.day than on any previous day since its opening gra-
ituitously to the public, was nearly deserted, the number
.of persons visiting it not reaching to more than 200 or
00 during the day. The cause for this laxity, as re-
gards numbers, is stated to arise from the fact of its not
being known to be open to all free of charge. The
works of art which attracted most notice was the splendid
specimen of carving. by Mr. G. Rogers, the different
styles of fresco painting, and the designs for stained glass
windows.
THE TOWER OF LONDON.—The reduction in the
-price of admission to view the armoury, and the crown
:and other jewels kept within the Tower of London,
,caused a great influx of visitors to that national depo-
rsitory yesterday, all of whom appeared delighted with
;the evidences of England's former and present greatness.
THE THAMES TUNNEL.—As at Easter, the stalls in
i;indertaking were decorated out with flags and ever-
greener with music at either end of the tunnel, playing
favourite airs during the day. The number of persons
passing through was very great.
BRITISH MUSEUM.—The number of visitors to this
national establishment yesterday was 25,558, being an
increase of 7,148 as compared with Whit-Monday last
year, when the number was 18,410. A few constables
.of the A division, under the able direction of Sergeant
!Neal, were in attendance, and the greatest order pre-
wailed throughout the day.