Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-09-23
The Crxstal Palace.


Tie Fayetteville Observer, enthusiastically, no
doubt, MISUNDERSTANDING nisrepresents mean
ing, in speaking of the Crystal Palace, or Worlds
Fair at New York. The Observer says: The Edi-
tor of the Wilmington Journal, the contrary,
writes to that paper from New York. that it rs not
north going to see.' What we meant and said. and
still mean and say, is that it is not worth going
from a distance to see-that it would not, by any
means, repay visit from-say Fayetteville, or Will
mington. No person who visits New York. howev-
err. should leave without seeing the Palace.
But for all that, it is not what it is cracked up to
be. With some few exceptions, such as the tapes
tries and porcelain from the Imperial manufacto-
rles in France. and the Mosaic work from Italy, the
Exhibition is mainly a re-hash OF Broadway show
cases, and will venture to say that little indus
try and labor can hunt everything up in few weeks
Almost every case and lot exhibited, has the name
and card ofthe New York shop-keeper, at whose
store it may be found on the usual terms we sup
pose, 'che 1p for cash approved security" Again:
the statuarv, which alone relieves the monotonous
bazaar-like appearance of the building, is abomna
bly, placed; and the mammoth equestrian statue of
Washington which stands under the dome in the
mos; conspicuous place. ought to have obtain
and respect which attach to the subject can hide
the stupid lifeessness of the performance which is
certainly a traditionary school book likeness of
Washington, and alsO q sufficiently good resem-
blance a horse. to be recognized rs such But the
whole affair has dray horsica air about it-a lum-
bering, common -placeness if may the ex-
preston, which is disgusting considering the SUBJ
ject.
There is also catch-penny look about the cata-
logues which sold in the Palace. Nothing is
named Or described in any way, apparently for the
purpose of forcing everybody to buy catalogue in
which not even asinge work of art is named-not
picture "a although there are over thousand-not
a statue-nohng of this sort
The Observer is also wrong in saying that we
complain of the sheds in the neighborhood, I" with
mammoth hogs and great oxen" We do not. They
are no doubt interesting to many people, the OBJ
server says. and we number ourselves among those
who felt sufficient interest in them to visit the exh-
billions of their charms. But, although cow stables
are absolutely necessary and proper, and mammoth
oxen arc worth seeing, we cannot matter of
taste, bring GU selves to thiak that their extremely
close proximity to the Palace is matter of adorn-
ment to that edifce, which is dwarfed by the i'm
over by the big wooden Observatory, faced by the
Crocodile and the model artists, and flanked by the
cOwsheds and hog pens already alluded to. Its po-
sition could hardly be worse. 1t is proper to re-
mark however, that all the grog- shops, and low
hibitions: which had sprung up in the neighborhood
of the Palace, have proved failures. AS the OBJ
server remarks SO do we, that neither heard nor
saw the slightest manifestation of dissipation or
rowdysm more quiet, orderl! and respectable
body Of people than those whom we always found
in the exhibition, could not possibly be imagined.
In writing from New York, we remarked that the
exhibition contained far too many things of interest
and value to be set down ABSOLUTE failure but.
at the same time, that it too far short Of what
it held up for to merit praise. And it is proper
under the mistaken supposon that the exhibition
was national in its character 1t was thus that the
finest French, English and Italian goods came to be
sent under the auspices of their respective govern
ments. 1t is known how much the Commissioners
of these countries were disappointed by the actual
state of the and the defective nature of the
engagements of the company. But certainly many
Of these things matters of taste, is also the
sty'e of The building itself which is beautiful and
admirably adapted to the purposes to which it is de-
voted but, nevertheless, is not architecture Neither,
indeed, was that at London. The Crystal Palace
style is simply the skeleton, without the filing up
necessary to give that breadth and finish and full
ness OF line and curve, upon which the eye rests
with pleasure and the mind with satisfaction.