The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1851-06-26
Foreign Correspondence ofthe Repnblic.l
LONDON, MAY 81, 1851.

LONDON, May %, 1851.
Although I had intended, according to
my promise, to give some account of the
Great Exhibition, yet the impossibility of
doing ANYTHING like faint Justice to the sub
ject within the compass of such letters as my
time would permit me to write, or your col
umns permit you to publish, that gave up
in despair, concluded that it would be bet-
ter TODD nothing than TO lott so imperiectly
as, of necessity L must But have conclud-
ed to send you one letter, at least, about the
Great Exhibition for the purpose of making
some remarks upon that part Of the show
over which the American eagle spreads his
wings, and the stars and stripes wave in the
air, and to correct the false impression which
our countrymen will be likely to receive from
regarding the accounts which have appeared
in the English Journals. AT the first glance
[ must acknowledge, that when l compared
our contributions to the exhibition with the
glitter and parade, and brilliantsof the French
department-with the magnificent wealth
Of the English-the artistic beauty Of the
contributions from Germany-the diamonds
from India, and the luxurious display Of stuffs
from the Orient generally, did feel little
mortified at our own coarscncss and inca
grencss, and that l laughed at the witty
things Jules Janin said III his letters to the
dcGdts about US. However, no American
lneed feel ashamed of our contributions to the
Great Exposition; if they are homely they
arc wholesome, and the best of their kind;
and ifthey are meagre IN quantity, they only
appear so from the great space so Literally
allotted to US to exhibit in. Our agricultu-
raj implements, which are not exactly as
snowy or so attractive as the furniture Of a
6oudoir, are admirable specimens Of inyen-
tive skill, and gainEery respectful attention
from gentlemen farmers, who form no unim-
portant part Of the visitors. Then our light
wagons and other carriages excite both attcn-
ton and admiration, and imagine will lead
to marked improvements in the pleasure
carriages of this country, which are generally
heavy and cumbersome. Our specimen ia
guerrcotypes, Ofwhich there are great num-
bers, are remarkably fine and superior to
those of Paris even, or London. There are
some tolerably fine specimens of lamps and
candelabra, from L factory in Philadelphia
, which are superior as illuminators to En-
a glish lamps; but as artistic examples, have
: nothing particularly excellent to recommend
them. AS to our agricultural specimens, al
though they afford but feeble idea of the
: variety, luxuriousness and perfection Of our
e products, they are all very good in their way;
It indeed, the best that can be produced. But
Y they are not snowy. Better cotton, corn,
wheat, or -four the world could not offer;
and, If we had sent nothing more, we should
J have had no cause to feel ashamed OF our
is contributions. As to our textile fabrics,
l. they are not abundant, nor snowy; but they
= are very. excellent. In sculpture we have
here a copy Of the Greek Slave, by Powers
3 1t is not so snowy as the bronze Amazon, by
n u. Kizz; but in all the essentials Of artistic
n beauty it is fully equal to that attractive and
10 beautiful work. Neither France, England,
- nor Italy contributes a work of art that sur
passes the Greek Slave. Americans may
II well feel proud in calling the creator Of this
L beautiful statute their countryman. The
4 hats, caps, wigs, false teeth, boots, and book
I bindings that have been sent across the At
lantic as advertisements for their makers, are
u all well enough; they display workmanlike
e. skill and good materials, but neither invcn-
r ton nor genius; and they might as well have
+ been kept at home for all the good they viii
I. do us, nationally, abroad. If any Ameri-
- can, after rambling a day through the ave
Id nues of snowy merchandise which crowd the
so Cystal Palace, should feel at all mortified at
ct the figure we make there, if he will 90 down
/, Ito the st. Katharine dock, and take a look
at our packctships which lie there, and COM
Z pare them with the ships Of other nations
that lie in the Thames, imagine he viii feel
at more comfortable afterwards, There are no
p. ships that enter the London, or Liverpool,
or Hayre docks, at all comparable 70 our
y own. And these are specimens OF industry
1t, and genius which Englishmen ere perfectly
,e- familiar with, and they give an impression
ifs OF our national greatness which cannot be
ldispclled by the mere absence of trinkets
~ from cur stall IN the Glass Palace. Then,
lss lagain, although ocean steam navigation is
vet but an experiment with Us, ali the world
/ knows that the shortest passages made be-
tween liverpool and New York have been
accomplished by an American steamer. Still
s'- we are greatly behind England, France, and
X Germany IN the higher branches Of mana
factarine, and the Great Exhibition shows
IL the iaet Enthusiastically.
Many Of the nqUlemen, whose town hou.
- ses are Usually closed to strangers, have
err been most literally thrown open to the pub
Of lie, under certain RESTRICTIONS that foreigners
might lave an pportunity TO inspect the trca
slifes Of art which they contain. The pic
'er tire gallery Of the Earl Of Elcsme1e la.
ng always been accessible to the public, bu
ate Northumberland house, Deyonsllre house
mo aud Stafford house are now for the frst tim,
~. open TO stfan GERS. EnglisllnoblcHlen appea.
to take great pfldeln purchasing some cost
- wofkol ;Gb, witch should he tie property Q
are the Eofldy and shutting Is up IN their olEl
les houses for tAeirz clusiYe enjoyment Aor
49, thuinberland house, Tor instance contain
some selaag hlaoly fine pictures Of the Itaiiai
masters WITCH efen The Hir5aos ail no
Us know the existence d, or had sforeottei On
to lofdIg gates were the other day throw
open 70 the world Deyonshife house, IS
nlagalfeen tow residence of tic I5aells
.eE3 log Dake as he called herr, althoueh
EI3-l vel known that he has f 81 ehi
t e- dlea, llss been thrown open manner ths
ne reflects Great eleeit IS possor.
= has been conyefted 10 playhouse, for I'll
80 performance BnlNers comedy, calie
on ot We seem, or many SIDES t.
The hrst representation Va
eN niellt since before Al aaaieas