The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-05-17 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, TUESDAY, MAY 1

through the Phoenix Park (though a leisurely ramble
would be more delightful still, if time permitted), a ride
to Glen Dargle and the Vale of Avoca—two of the love-
liest scenes in this land of surpassing loveliness.

that there is not so much in it as we had the opportunity
of seeing in the Hyde Park Palace, in 1851. But it ought
to be borne in mind, that) on this very account, it should
attract thougands of strangers who, possessing only a vety
limited period for their examination of, the exhibition,
will go away with mope substantial benefit than they pos-
sibly could from the bewildering and monstrous collection
of '5l. The Dublin Exhibition is not so large as the
London one; but to ninety-nine out of every hundred it
will be more pleasing, more gratifying, and more satisfac-
tory, It is not so extensive as to be tiresome, and yet it
is sufficiently ample to afford variety, elegance, and beauty
enough, animate and inanimate, to satisfy the most fas-
tidious.

During our visits to the Exhibition on Tuesday, and
the three following days, we found that a large number of
the Liverpool goods were in boxes, and in one instance,
at least, we met a Lancashire gentleman, on the very eve
of the opening day, unable to get a single labourer, either
for love or money, to aid him in the arrangement of his
stall. If, in the bewildering chaos which prevailed during
our visit, we missed many local contributions of value and
interest, we should not be surprised. With no list or
catalogue, either of one kind or another, to serve as a
guide through the vast building—with an extraordinary
quantity of contributions untouched even so late as Wed-
nesday evening—and, in many instances, with no card or
name where the articles were displayed, it is at present a
matter of impossibility either to do justice to the whole,
or even a part of the contents. So far as we could learn
on leaving Dublin, the catalogue will not be ready for a
week or ten days. In the meantime, great injustice has
been done both to exhibitors and visitors. Visitors have
come hither to be instructed as well as amused ; they are
obliged to leave in a day or two, and they probably never
will have the opportunity of re-visiting an exhibition of
which, from the want of proper facilities, they have car-
ried away but a very imperfect and unsatisfactory idea.
While, as to exhibitors, we know cases in which they have
come from a great distance, and found things so far behind
and met with so many obstructions in doing their best to
make up individually for the delay of the officials, that
they have been exceedingly chagrined. We must state
our conviction that it would have been much more judi-
cious to have fixed the inauguration on a later day, when
the whole of the contributions might have been duly ar-
ranged.
In no proper order, and just as noted in our tablets,
we shall allude to a few other local contributions.
Milner's fireproof safes form a feature of interest. On
Saturday last these admirable safes were tested in "Wilton-
square, under the auspices of the Lord Mayor of Dublin,
and in presence of a large party of influential mercantile
and scientific men. One of the ordinary fireproof safes
and one of 31ilners's were simultaneously put in a fire,
and permitted to remain there for two hours and a ball.
At the end of that time it was found that some paper in-
serted in the ordinary safe was completely reduced to
ashes, while a £lOO bank of England note, inserted in
the other, was ascertained to be unharmed. The model
of the safe in the Exhibition is a most admirable one,
and one good feature in it is that the top and sides are
formed of glass instead of iron, in order to show the
principle of the invention. The Messrs. Milner, we may
state, exhibited their group of specimens at the Exhi-
bition of '5l.
Mr. Bennett, ironfounder, Whitechapel, is also a
Liverpool contributor, and so is Mr. Furniss, of Kilpin
New-mills, who exhibits specimens of wood, sawn and
plain. Mr. Grinnell shows some exquisitely executed
and very attractive models of American pilot-boats. In
the machinery department Manchester occupies a respec-
table position. The Messrs. de Bergne and Co., of the
Strangeways-mill, exhibit models of railway waggons,
carriages, buffers, and kindred articles. Mr. Houlds.
worth, of Manchester, is also an extensive exhibitor, and
Mr. P. Little, of the same city, has sent some beautiful
specimens of marble. Mr. J. Grantham, C.E., Liver-
pool, sends that beautiful model of the steam-packet
which has already excited so much attention and admira-
tion. Mr. Styan, of Birkenhead, is represented worthily
by a complete set of drawing-room furniture, of most
exquisite workmanship, executed, we believe, for the
Sydenham Crystal Palace. The typographical profession
is creditably represented by specimens from the press of
Mr. D. Marples, showing to great advantage various
beautiful founts of type from the foundry of Messrs.
Stephenson, Blake, and Co., of Sheffield. 'We observed
that Mr. Thomas G. Codde, of Lord-street, the repre-
sentative in Liverpool of the celebrated lock-maker
Chubb, has brought across the Channel a fine variety of
locks and safes, including one remarkable key contained
in a gold ring, which can be made to open eleven separate
locks of various sizes, from a street door to a safe. Mr.
Fairclough, of Renshaw-street, is the exhibitor of an ex-
quisite specimen of furniture ; and in the entire depart-
ment of clothing there is not a more elegant little case
than that of Jackson Brothers, tailors, Castle-street,
whose vests, made of Honiton lace. have already been
noticed in the Liverpool Standard. Messrs. Pooley,
Liverpool, also send a somewhat extensive exhibition of
their productions.

In the machinery court, which was pretty well advanced
at our last visit, there is shown, among other articles, a
very ingenious machine invented for knitting a seamless
elastic petticoat, from the establishment of Messrs.
Murfin and Selby, Leicester. The very first display of
textile fabrics both in point of the time they were ar-
ranged and the many excellencies which it exhibits, was
from the establishment of Mr. Grundy, of Manchester.
In the northern hall, large wooden frames are covered
with carpets, damasks, silks, and poplins ; and the effect
of the whole is both varied and rich. Perhaps the most
conspicuous object among the Belgian contributions is a
superb marble chimney-piece, belonging to his Majesty
the King of the Belgians. It is composed of the purest
white marble, without speck or flaw, and the carving is
very elaborate, and executed in the highest style of art.
Certain additional halls run round the court-yard of the
Royal Dublin Society House, in Kildare-street, but they
are not vet completed. The outer side of the hall to the
south is being fitted up with a series of paintings on glass,
by Mr. E. Baillie, enameller and glass-stainer, of London.
These include an original historical picture of " Shakspere
reading his plays to Queen Elizabeth and the Court,"
which was exhibited in the Crystal Palace in 1851, and
was universally acknowledged to have surpassed in beauty
of colouring and excellence of execution all other contri-
butions of a similar description in that great emporium of
the world's industry, with the solitary exceptionr of
" Dante's Window." from Milan. Mr. Baillie 's contri-
butions
also include a picture of Our Saviour, after Carlo
Dolci ; of St. Catherine, after Guercino ; " Christ blessing
little children," after West ; " Trial of St. Stephen,"
and other paintings, executed expressly for this exhibi-
tion, as well as specimens of ornaments in the old
Normandy style, Order of the Garter, &c.
The Fine Arts' hall is decidedly the feature of the exhi-
bition. 'With most perfect truth might Mr. S. C. Hall,
of the Art-Journal, say that it would well repay any
person's time, trouble, and expense, to come over from
the sister country to see this gallery alone, the like of
which was never witnessed in the world before. Mr.
Deane, to whose energy and indefatigable exertions this
department of the Exhibition owes much of its attractive-
ness and success, has succeeded in obtaining a number of
interesting memorabilia of the Kean family.—These in-
clude Cardinal Wolsey's hat and a dagger of Henry the
Eighth, set in jewels, which were bought by Charles
Kean at the sale of Horace Walpole's collection at
Strawberry-hill ; a beautiful mosaic snuff-box, and a
Turkish yataghan, presented by Lord Byron to Edmund
Kean—the latter generally worn by the great tra-
gedian in Othello ; a sword, presented by Sir T.
Sinclair and several friends in Edinburgh to Edmund
Kean, and worn by him in Macbeth, and a series
of portraits, by A. Chalon, of Charles Kean in
3facbeth, Hamlet, and other leading characters.
During the past week the Fine Arts' Court has been an
exciting and pleasant scene—the carefully covered picturls,
with the labels upside-down, alike tantalizing and defying
curiosity—the crowds of cases with the colours shining
up through the half-opened lids—the fitting of the frames
for the large works which have been sent packed on rollers,
some of these displaying an eccentric independence by
coming before their frames, and again the frames arriving
tenantless. Piles of pictures lying together, a perfect
lottery of fortune. Under the hands of the busy work-
men, sacred and historical groups become glorious
Claudes, soft Cuyps, green and refreshing Ruysdales.
Dark, mysterious Rembrandts, vanish into a saintly
Domenichino, or a hard stiff Holbein. There a lady is
destined for ever to hold a light to a lantern which only
burns to surround her with a halo, and she disappears
suddenly to be replaced by a group of cattle by Paul
Potter—the whole right royally ennobled by full length
portraits of our Queen and Prince Albert, by Winter-
halter, who appears to be painter laureate. This depart-
ment was resigned to Mr. Grieve, for the conflicting
opinions of a committee must inevitably have produced
the most vexatious hindrance and delay. Sufficient space
has also been left to isolate each, and the symmetrical
arrangement is so excellent, that even the size of the
works adds a charm.

Much more than the mere pleasure of sight and gratifi-
cation of taste may be learned in the Fine Arts' hall.
In the sculpture, MacDowell sends his " Eve ;" and we
expected from the names of Marshall, Baily, Hogan,
Foley, and Moore, and Lawder, to have found powerful
rivals to the pictorial department. Barter has introduced
a new aim for sculpture, in the " Lesson Interrupted,"
which is the best of the plastic examples; and Mr. Jones
appears to exhibit abundantly. There are but few
examples of the Dutch school of the sixteenth century—
unrivalled as a guide in colour and form. The deficiency
is the more remarkable, as England possesses superfluence
of wealth in Flemish art. The Italian is likewise limited
in specimens of the best period. The modern German
fills the highest ranks. British art takes the second place.
The productions of the English school in the historical
style hare been vindicated by the frescoes in the new
palace of Westminster, and in genre it is natural and
refined. In pastoral subjects, too, and landscapes, the
English is second to no other school and no earlier period.
Modern art is amply represented. The Berlin contribu-
tions include Begas, Acenbach, Bierman, Meyer, Levin.
There is a portrait now of Prussian celebrities, and some
magnificent studies of colour in sacred and historical
works. The Belgian contributions are principally of
sacred and legendary subjects. One picture we noticed
where landscape, flowers, and fruit, are all treated, and
in which the colours sparkle like gems ; and in another
an effect of sunlight, which is perfect. In the British
school we have some Hogarth's caricatures, Vandyck's,
and Lely's portraits. In Lord Portarlington's noble
collection are two Honderocters. Of Irish celebrities,
Denby sends his Deluge," and Maclise has an interest.

ing sketch of Mrs. S._ C. Hall, visa.irs to Berlin,
_and

, --
occupying the centre of England. Naturally many of the
works of the old masters are poslice productions ; never-
theless, some are so nearly equal to the originals, as to
be generally accepted by connoisseurs, and are found in
the choicest collections. Amongst the most interesting
contributions is a thirteenth century panel picture, Head
of Christ, of the Byzantine type, on a gilt ground,
extremely curious and valuable. It will be a rare treat
to the dilettanti of Ireland, for until now such has never
been
Publicly exhibited there. Not least among the
benefits to be derived for Ireland, from this Exhibition,
at so prosperous a period of art, is that hitherto her name
has not only been excluded from the list of nations dis-
tinguished by indigenous art, but her rich possessions
have been totally overlooked. Some works untraced by
the laborious genealogists of art, and considered as lost,
are undoubtedly to be found here. Witness the " Child
borne by a Dolphin" of Raffaelle, who, in the only two
productions of his chisel, is considered to have equalled
the antique ; and yet so overshadowed was he by the
glorious achievements of Islichael Angelo, that Lanzi is ,

the only chronicler of art who has bestowed a passing
illusion on Raffaelle's sculpture.
THE PALACE AND ITS INTERIOR ASPECT.

The sound taste and perception of high art exhibited in
the decoration of the building itself, which has become
the depository of invaluable treasures, is well deserving of
praise. If we might be tempted to find fault with the
exterior, as suggestive of an encampment on a huge scale,
to cavil at the interior would be ungenerous and, in fact,
unjust. The central hall is bold in design and well pro-
portioned. The vaulted roof, of 100 feet span, supported
on arches and groins of open intersected tracery, is ex-
tremely beautiful. The columns, by their disposition,
add a fiction of size as well as security. The shafts are
painted ultramarine blue, terminating in a Corinthian
capital of acanthus leaves (composed, as we have been in-
formed, of gutta percha), coloured a creamy white, the
concave spaces of the foliations being tinged with the
ultramarine blue. From these the arches spring, the
spandrils being herald-painted with the arms of Irish
towns. Even so late as on Wednesday the scenic effect
was heightened by confusion 'and preparation. Gay
banners flowing down the gallery-barriers mingled in the
perspective into a harmonious tableau, despite the rude
foreground of scaffolds, paint-pails, packing-cases, and
workmen. Visitors were disposed to less admiration of
Mr. Benson's design, until colouring added its formative
power, and brought out the design complete. While re-
membering fondly the hyaline and the serial vastness of
the Crystal Palace, the Irish may boast that their struc-
ture is most fitting for its purpose, and beautiful so far as
the materials are obedient to the design. The object in
decorating the building is not merely ornament, it is to
increase the apparent height and breadth, and by the use
of colour to give additional loftiness by the effect of light
and shade. Following these necessities, blue, which
retires, is placed on the concave surfaces; yellow, which
advances, on the convex ; and red, the colour of middle-
distance, on the horizontal planes and undersides of the
girders, which renders them positive. This imparts the
honeycombed appearance to the roof, which is, however,
the reverse of displeasing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PALACE.

Presenting a front to Merrion.square of 300 feet, the
main or centre feature of the elevation consists of a
semicircular projection, which forms the Eastern termi-
nation of the Central-hall. This is a noble apartment of
425 feet in length, and 100 feet in height, covered by a
semicircular roof upon trellis ribs, in one span of 100 feet.
On each side of the Centre.ball, and running parallel to it
for the same length, are two halls 50 feet wide, with
domed roofs, similar to that which covers the main nave
or hall of the building. The height from the floor to the
roof of each of these halls will be 65 feet. They are
approached through passages from the Centre-hall. In
addition to these three halls are four compartments of 25
feet wide, running the whole length of the building ; two
are placed between the Centre-hall and the side halls, and
two on each side of the latter ; divided into sections of 25
feet square, forming convenient divisions for the purposes
of classification. Over these compartments are spacious
galleries, also running the length of the building, which
not only afford increased space for exhibition, but form
an agreeable promenade from whence the effect of the
three halls may be seen to great advantage. To the
south of the Central-hall, left of the spectator is a hall
devoted to foreign contributors ; adjacent to which is the
Fine Arts Court, corresponding in position to the Ma-
chinery Court. Branching off from the Fine Arts Court,
are the Antiquarian Court, refreshment rooms, and a
court abutting upon the yard of the Dublin Society,
usually occupied by farming implements. At the western
end of the northern court are extensive refreshment
rooms, with a fountain playing in the centre ' • from these
a covered passage leads to the court-yard or Kildare-
street entrance to the Society-house. The northern and
southern courts have galleries running round them, from
which the spectator also looks into the Central Court.
The ceiling of the halls being divided into panels formed
by the trellis ribs, and the other constructive parts of the
building, has allowed ample opportunity for effective
decoration. Light is admitted from above in one un-
broken and equally distributed body. The construction
of the building is strongly marked on the elevation, and
forms in fact the ornamental character of the design.
There are also external galleries which are attractive
features in the exterior, forming a delightful promenade,
and which will be useful in providing access to the roof
for repairs, &c. The termination of each of the principal
roofs to the east and west is semispherical, giving
strength as well as effect to the building. There are
three entrances in the front facing Merrion-square,
under a range of verandahs, through which access is
provided for the holders of season tickets and the general
public. The materials of the building are iron, timber,
and glass. The latter are only used for light, as before
described. The parts of the roof at each side of the
lights are of timber, covered with Irish-manufactured
waterproof cloth. The trellis girders which support the
galleries are made of wrought iron, supported on cast
iron pillars. Ample accommodation in the way of re.
freshment, retiring rooms, offices, &c., is provided in the
plan. Access to the building can also be had by the
spacious court-yard of the Royal Dublin Society, whose
suite of apartments, including the Museum, are open to
the public during the Exhibition. It has been calculated
that the available area of ground floor, galleries, &c.,
amounts to about 210,000 square feet, or little short of
seven acres, which will afford ample space, not only for
the goods sent in, but also for the free erculation of the
great tide of visitors. Altogether, the design, both in
point of its conception and its accomplishment, is in every
way worthy of the highest praise that can be bestowed
upon it. Mr. Benson, to whose genius we are indebted
for an architectural feat, of which even a Paxton might
justly be proud, appears to have forgotten the Crystal
Palace, and had the courage to think for himself ; and it
may be said that he produced a work not merely well
adapted to the purpose contemplated, but highly cre-
ditable to his artistic and practical character as an archi-
tect. It is a source of regret to us, however, that the
building does not stand on a more spacious site, where it
would not have been bounded by streets which com-
pletely block it from the view on all sides, except Mer-
rion-square, from the opposite side of which a fine view of
the edifice is obtained,—the splendid domes rising in
beautiful harmony with the quaint and stately mansions
around, and the whole effect being heightened by the
summer-like verdure in the centre of the square, where
there are numerous shrubs and trees. It is to be re-
gretted that the building was not erected in Phoenix
Park, which would have been a site truly worthy of the
splendid edifice designed by the now justly-famous Sir
John Benson.