The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-05-01 00:00:00

THE DINING ROOM.

Here the chief magistrate, from time to time, dispenses to
his guests the good things of this life to his invited guests.
The room is 50 feet in length, 30 in breadth, and 26 in
height. The walls are relieved by twenty polished Corinthian
pilasters of imitation Cornish marble, supporting an elegant
cornice, from which springs the roof in a segment of a circle,
divided into compartments, with richly guilded mouldings.
The furniture is extremely elegant and massy. In two re-
cesses on. the west side are sideboards of antique Grecian
design : each of the legs is formed of a caduceus in brass
and the cornicing is studded with tigers' heads of the same
metal. The wine-coolers are of a sarcophagus shape, with
flowered brass ornaments at each corner, terminating above
in the neck and head of an eagle. There are here, in niches,
two elaborately chased and plated 'metal stoves, of a monu-
mental shape, and also two large ornamental marble vases,
all supported on square pedestals, with open brass-work
pannels. The usual dining table is thirty feet in length, and
will accommodate fifty guests. It is supported on eight
large pillar-and-claw feet, which for richness of design may
challenge comparison with the finest furniture of royalty
itself. The massy plate, candelabra, plateaux,, wine coolers,
china, &c., here displayed on festive occasions, are all of the
richest design and workmanship.
We have now gone the round of the rooms in the Town-
hall ; but as even these, large as they are, were considered
inadequate to the accommodation and comfort of so large a
concourse as were last night present, we must notice another
room, which was also brought into requisition on the oc-

casion:.

THE ji:XCIIANGE NEWS-ROOM.

This spacious room, the constant resort of our merchants in
pursuit orbusiness or in search of news, occupies the whole of
the lower story of the east side of the Exchange Buildings.
It has recently been enlarged, some apartments at the north
end of the building having been added to it; and, in making
this addition, the style of architecture has been preserved.
The room is 130 feet 9 inches in length, including the bar ;
and 51 feet 8 inches in width. The height in middle is 31
feet 4 inches. It contains an area of 6,299 superficial feet,
and is certainly- one of the largest and finest public rooms in
Europe. The style of architecture is Grecian. The ceiling,
or central portion of the roof, is supported by 20 lonic
columns, ten on each side ; forming as it were aisles on each
side. The shaft of each of these columns is composed of one
entire and beautiful stone. A magnificent colonnade is thus
formed in the middle of the room, and the whole has a most,
striking effect when viewed from either end. Between the
rows of columns the roof is elevated in a curve or arch seve-
ral feet above the roof of the adjacent sides, and divided into
decorative compartments. The walls are ornamented with
pilasters opposite each column. There are seven arched
windows on the west side, eight on the east, and two of
smaller size at the east end. At the west end is the bar,
Where all the nautical, and much of the commercial news of the
port is regularly posted on large slates, books, &c., and where
the newspapers, from every town in the kingdom, and every
fart of the world, are filed and arranged. The centre of the
room, from" end to end; is left open as a commercial pro-
menade. The reading tables, of massy mahogany, are ranged
along the sides, and amply stocked with the lateSt conimer-

cial and 'political. news of the day. At one erid is ii clock,
and at the other end a weather-clock, or indicator,. of clOCk
appearance, of the precise direction of the wind, the handle
being moved by communication with a vane on a pole at the
top of the building. In the centre there are five chandeliers.
ThiS room was last night used as the principal refection or
supper-room. The tables were placed in the centre, the sides
being left open for the promenade. A handsomely-fitted and
well-lighted covered-way, or passage, was erected from the
back of the Town-hall to one of the entrances of the room,
so that the whole might be said to have been thrown into
one. The decoratiaqs were beautiful, and the company were
by no means chary of their frequent attendance at the sump-
' tuous board, which was loaded with all manner of delicacies.
The rooms on this occasion were but slightly altered from
their usual appearance ; but the plan adopted of communica-
tion between the Town=hall and the .tipildr-room was a great
imprciverpent..on thoSeAAformer.yeat'S- The pagsage'for the
illustri4guests was through.'the .Council:chaMber, which
not. only added an additiqiial apartment t 9, the general ac-:
cormitodations, but rendered the trausitio,afrora one building
to the other much less Arlipt apdppiye
,The
passage. running dizigona* across die south-east cqrner of
the exchange area, b&iutifully hung with drapery, and
lighted throughout with gas; •

TILE PREPARATION.

No entertainment affords a liner scope for the exercise of
taste and ingenuity than a fancy ball, whether as regards the
aristocratical parties who attend it, or the less wealthy indi-
viduals, whose presence is not the less welcome and bene-
ficial. For several weeks previously all rave " note of pre-
paration." Books illustrative of classical or quaint costume
were largely and dilligently consulted, and tailors and mil-
liners have known no respite in their several callings for some
weeks. Ancient garments were drawn from their reposito-
ries, Where they had long lain neglected, saving by the moths ;
and new drapery, of every quality and colour, was liberally
purchased, wherewith to fashion new and striking habiliments.
The embroidered vest, and the hooped petticoat, were all put
in requisition, and happy were those who lighted upon a veri-
table dress that had been worn by king or queen, or distin-
guished robber or grandee. Laces, feathers, trinkets, jewels,
tassels, and other gew-gaws, were also in great requisition ;
military uniforms were eagerly sought for by some who
would have better become the garb of " Bob Acres ;" and
those who aspired to knighthood gave some employment
to gunsmiths, braziers, and tinmen, in furnishing their
respective alarming accoutrements. Numerous specula-
tors from the metropolis, also visited the town with fancy
dresses of all descriptions ; and the richest embroidery and
ornaments of the gorgeous days of olden times were
captivatingly exhibited to the gaze of those who had the
ambition to strut the hero or the debauchee, or the magnate
for a night. The fancy shops provided also abundance of
gay and glittering ornaments : ladies at home busily plied
their brains and their needles in the concoction and produc-
tion of what was characteristic, novel, or tasteful,—and the
general result was such a display of elegance in costume, and
of beauty, both manly and feminine, as has never been sur-
passed on any former similar occasion.
About eight o'clock the company began to assemble, and
the roll of the carriages to the scene of action was loud and
continuous for many hours. The rooms towards ten o'clock
became crowded with a brilliant and motley assemblage—
" the famed, the fair, of every age and every clime." It

would be impossible to convey an adequate idea of the splen-
dour and varied interest of the scene, which combined all
that was gorgeous with all that was rustic in costume ; all that
was dignified or fearless in man ; timid in woman. The
music gave an enlivening stimulus to the whole. Some did
not at first recognize their intimate friends in their assumed
attire, and felt as if within an enchanted circle. The dia..
racters, where an approach to " performance" would be in-
troduced, were well supported ; and all seemed to be highly
delighted with the prolonged amusements of the night, which
were enhanced by the reflection that the proceeds were to be
devoted to charitable objects.