Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-10-30

AhiSt 'oti'ttiHDcI CJttfs 1901.
My DEAR---:
Having II week or two at my disposal
during the last days of the summer. de-
termined to 60 over The Channel and see
for myself that of which the description
had Filed so many mouths and newspa-
pers for tho last four or FIVE months--the
Great Exhibition. or what the French
more appropriately call it. the Exposition
hnitcr5elle. lam NOT prepared to say with
the Queen dI Sheba after her inspection
Of the riches OF Solomon, "ihe half was not
told me- but, on the contrary. making
some deduction from the oriental extrava-
ganre with which this Wonder If the age
has been celebrated by both pen and
tongue, am yet free to say enough remain-
ed tc make it an object Of just and rational
curiosity to all who were in circumstances
to visit it.
A visit to the Crystal Palace is. in truth,
sort of fgtrative voyage of circumnavi-
cation by which. within the limits of a
comparatively small space, ahd by few
days industrious observation, yon traverse
successively the various quarters Of the
Globe, and sce before you the productions.
the arts. the riches, and in some degree the
respective national manners and customs
Of them all. And yet this is SO contrived
as to leave upon the mind Of the behnlder
a strong impression of the material Iperio.
rty. if not supremacy. Of one of these ma.
tions over all the rest. England has the
vast advantage in the Exhibition of being
al home. One full half Of the fairy build
ing is allotted to the display of her richie.
and resources. her industry and power
lin which her vast tributary possessions
in the East and the West=India, Canada
and the Isles of the OCEAN, )-nll glitterihg
with barbaric pomp are made to revolve
in their due order around the central orb,
dazzling by the splcndor OF her own accu-
mulated and gorgeous wealth. The mind
Is so acted upon by this studlous display
ofboundess dominion and riches and pow
er in the hands bf d single nation, that it
hardly receivers from the impression in pas
sing through the successive Departments
allotted to other nations. for. however
well filled many of them are with the
choicest productions of exquisite taste and
superior skill. they all seem da6ayjed in
comparison with the gigantic development
of England d; home. In this state of c1-
hi6ited inferiority, these nations may lcgiti-
mately take to theiiiselves the consolation
Of the lioh Prostrate beneath the man in the
painting-that the man and not the lion was
the painter.
If France. which originated the idea Of
an Exhibition Of the products of the arts
and industry of all nations. had been per-
mittcd by her internal condition to carry it
into execution, and Paris, instead Of Lon
don, had been the scene Of its rrcsentaiion.
very great difference would. doubtless,
have beeti made In the relative position and
appearance of the competing nations. In
that case the advantage Of bring chez sol.
concurring with her unrivslIed taste and
artistic science, and the wonderful rcsour-
ces of her national genius and industry,
would have assigned to her the rank of
primacy which is now held by England in
The London Exhibition. Nor would the
other naiiohs have had reason 10 complain
ofthe change Of renue. The bright cli-
mate Of France and the cordial and geni-
al temper of her people. so readily frater-
nising with the other families OF mankind;
would have made OF what has been stern
and somewhat jealous encounter of rival
preiensions real Jubilee Of the heart and
senses. marking an era in the social inter
course and happiness Of nations, as well as
in their industrial progress. As 1t is, the
Exhibition has mainly the character Of a
highly successful speculation very saga
ciously managed. on British account.
You will wish TO kno,s what sort Of
figure we Of the United States have made
ia this great international congress Of indus.
try and the arts. The objects which oc-
cupy much the largest space in the Exhi-
bition, and which have beenthe chief points,
indeed. Of popular attraction. are objects
of luxury and ornament. exceedingly cost
ly both Id their material and workmanship.
and intended to minister to the factitious
wants st overgrown wealth. In the Brit.
ish Department alone, /. counted not lea
than twenty large rooms with the inscrip-
iion in glaring capitals above them OF the
adored precious metals The same gene.