New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-06-19
THE GREAT EXHIBITION. No. ".
Shirt Of Caste in EngIand-The Public"
afraid of it, own ShadOw-COnclusiOn OF
Comparative Examination OF Glass and
batteries.

gan last Monday bat so enormous rush had
been anticipated that people were really afraid
to go. and consequently the Crystal Palace was
only moderately filled on that day
The apprehension with which the throwing
omen Of the Exhibition 70 the lower classes
had been anticipated were absurd IN the eI-
IRENE. and would seem % imply a universal sup
position that eood-fcelmg and the good manners
that spring from It were the exclusive property
Of the utlcd and the wealthy. and the encom-
iums layishtd on the "dccomm,' the pro
pnetv," and 1.-THE good-humor' OF the people,
by whom the building has been occupied all
through the week, are now quite as amusing as
the fears Of the exclusive and the tmd have
been ridiculous and uniomded 1t Is quite true
that the increasing crowds of pedestrians who
come to the Exhibition boy the and of their own
two feet are far less sumptUouS.y attlred than
Their predecessors, who arrived IN cor0netted
coaches and attended by servants m white wigs
and radiant breechcs bit 1t is equally true that
IN point Of department they are no whit behind
Their betters, and That M genuine interest in
the Exhibition itself, aud enlightened appreca-
tion of the various objects D. contains, they are
very greatly heir supenoIS.
But the spirit of Caste Is deeply rooted 10 The
English mind. the idea of superiority" and
"mferouty' as resulting from differences OF So
cal position is universal, and reveals itself by an
alternate ser,ilty and arrogance of manner that
reflects clearly and painfully tins mSchleyOuS.
nm Christian social creed. The Duchess looks
no TO the Queen and down upon the bankers
lady: the lawyer looks up TO some dOltlsh lord
and down upon the respectable tradesman, the
latter is a mere incarnation of cnnglng Difference
10 ms customers, bur SustalnS his dignity by an
oyerWeenIng arrogance toward his clerks, his
butcher and his baker. the baker looks down up
ON the chunney-swcop, and the chimney sweep
mon the beggar and so It goes, from the high
est gided rounds of the social ladder down 10 us
lowest, muddleSt steps, pride and meanness
stand together, hand m hand. Noble exceptions
undoubtedly exist and here, as elsewhere, there
is an infection IN the AIR that promises some
thing better Tor the future, but as yet, Caste
holds mistaken sway IN this strange dwelling
place Of Power and Weakness OF Luxury and
Misery. of Progress and Preudce-yclept
through SO many mockug ages Merry Eng
land
But tit is time 10 suspend our reflections and
resume our explorations IN the galleries where
the Glass and Pottenes of England dls.
pute the palm with those OF her lmmemonal
rlyal from across the channel.
England enjoys an ncontesuble advantage IN
the fact of the Exhibition being located within
her own borders tor she has thus been able to
represent and that very fully an immense num-
Der of branches which, owing to the difficulty OF
transportation, her nelghbors are compelled To
represent madeQuately, or not al all. nus, we
remarked on our last WISH the English Olass
and Earthenware department Is uch magniii-
cent and varied 10 degree that eyctes unlver-
I.., q tIfff rs4ff
DAYS of patient, serious examination, 10 do 1t
Justice \ detailed account Of ITS contents
would be totally out of the question; and we
must therefore. content ourselves with rosunlng
orr rapid survey Of the whole, making bret
note of It's most striking objects
The chandeliers, glrandoles and candelabras
are Conspicuous not only for their immense SIZE
some OF them being eight feet IN hight, out also
by their wonderful transparency and purity
which causes their noble shafts and massive
pendant lustreS 70 sparkle with every hue OF he
prism This quality Is especially remarkable
nm the limitations OF all the great diamonds and
other samples OF glass-cutung here displayed
the color> being SO deep, so VIVID thar one
would imagine their various faces 10 be CON
posed OF c0orod glass OF different hues, were ].
not for the magical iransmutauons OF greens
and reds. of puppies. blues and yellows, produced
bv Cytry movement of the behOlceT. \ VINE
WAYS the center of au admlrng crowd, Is espe-
c,ally remarkable tor the beauty OF the siopp.es
OF it> ltcauters 80 eXQul>lteN are they cut tndi
they flash and sparkle with play OF priSnatlc
coIOr> that leaves the " Mountain OF Light, the
Sea %. Light" and al the other famous dia-
mOnds exposed down stars, pa gi.ded cage,
quite u the DARK.
The great yar,et, of glasses now fabricated. and
theNared effects which they produce, renders this
beautiful substance capable OF almost unlimited
application iu the departments OF Ornament and
of I>t There l>nO end 10 the variety or shapes
and nueS thus given 90 vases IaTs glasses, de-
cauter>. &c. some offering o dead white sur
ACE. on which flowers and landscapes are paint.
ed. initiating porcelain others age OF the most
delicate ami lovely hues. and covered with EN-
bc>>ed wreafhs ana ornaments SD richly giided
OF >liyercd. that they rival the hrllance OF tho
precious metals. others initiate Egyptian ala
haSter with ihelr peculiar black tTaCere>. OF Ihe
glossy brown surface of Etruscan cups and
vases. with their outlined paintings the Imia-
tons ol Bohemian glass are a. rich color. and
much more aeau riul m shape and design than
ANYTHING % B. seen u the Austrian Department
ana hc specimens % rl-dei glass decantcrS.
tumDeIs. wine glasses anc pilcIels iai surpasseS
the productions % cuy other country, saving
France The specimens OF glasses for optical
purposes. lenses. discs. harbOT-hghts, &c, are
F equally admirable. the revolving catOptrc appa
ratus u the great aisle. the model OF hr>t-class
lighthouse. Is admirable both for texture and Tor
bnliaIcy. Enormous shades are exhibited con
taumc eight or ten smaller ones, 50 pure and
+ even m quality thar the light passes through
their several substances rs through q single
plate The handles and ilnger-qlates for doors.
are oi great beauty some are composed OF
p " k0t-l-uoor>.' more beautiful than the dla-
4 WCd) richly eucasct l gl.d,d settings Others
are of frosted glass. richly embossed and sl-
vered others. again. are covered with delicate
wreaths and paintings on pale grounds OF every
. color. pink. b.Le, green, fawr. &c. others inn
tate painted china others, alaua>,er. spar. cor
f nelian and agate The Illuminated Glass is
/ also very pretty By means o. new process
The glass 90 mirrors is engraved on the anaet