The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-14
THE EXPOSITION.
THE PROGRESS OF CIVILIZATION AS
DISPLAYED IN THE HTsTOR-
ICAL MUSEUM.
A Grand Observation-Disclosures of Every
Century Of the worlds History.

We went to the Exposition yesterday. so
did the Prince Of Wales. We were not wit
nesses of the following incident, but quote from
the RapeJ to show how Partisan journalists
amuse their readers.
THE PRINCE OF WALES
made his appearance in the vestibule, where
his collection Is to be seen. He was accom-
panied by young Indian prince OF eighteen
or thereabOuts, with regular features. This
Indian wore In his left nOstril q ring OF gold
and two earrings in each ear-one attached
to the upper and the other to the lower part
of that member.
For q moment he rested himself against q
column from which, in complete immobility
he examined the tall Canadian pyramid. All
at once startled by gesture on his part, a
country woman screamed. She had supposed
him q statue.
Our visit was to the Exposition dies
Sciences Acknowledgements" in the French
section. 1t was thrown open for the first time
two days since, and is being held in the
left wing Of the TrOCaderO Palace. It forms
sort of
HISTORICAL MUSEUM,
wherein Is ChronCled the progress of human
ity, from prehistoric times to our own, in
remnants Of their industrial or fine arts.
Hence we find the walls hung with tapestry
Of by-gOne years, maps, charts, drawings and
paintings illustrative Of the different periods
Arch@Ologlc collections, showing the first
traces of mans handwork, in rude or polished
stone. The age of polished Stone" is fully
realized, while examining the knives, arrow
hp41 I,pts I'll -,
Of the Marquis Of Vilbraye one of the finest
here. Rude carvings on stone typefy sculp-
ture In its infancy. Egyptian hieroglyphics,
chiseled perhaps in honor Of Sesostris or
Pharaoh look back with blank inscrrtabiIity
into the eyes OF the curious.
The mutilated statue of Roman warrior of
indefinite antiquity brings us to the Age of
Bronze. Numberless are the specimens, but
we have no space to describe. AS knowledge
progressed more delicate workmanship In
ivory and images Of gold and silver presents
itself. We understand why some biblical per-
sOnages are represented as stealing Figures
Of silver" In those days they must have
been very costly. Curious rings-open like a
bracelet without clasp, probably adorned
the fingers Of some Eastern belle few thous-
and years since. as their fac SMILES do the
hands Of her modern sisters. We noted this-be
the age what 1t might-IrOn Bronze, Wood OF
Gold0wOmen still had their ornaments
mallet And In these, as In the nObler arts of
painting and sculpture, modern genius has
but reproduced the ancient types-even mod
ern ideas on most subjects are but intensified
reflection OF those Of the past. Witness mod
ern cremation.
Here In this very hall of exposition are
displayed the different sorts of funeral
urns used In the past. Here are the half
consumed bones OF young woman, heaped
on piece of ancient pottery much like
q RIM md ~
much larger Her jewels, which lie
beside the whitened heap, would probably
have formed larger pile. How young, how
fair before deposited within the narrow COM
pass OF the Ornamented urn, who can tell?
We only know she slept there through centu-
ries, to testify to some as young and fair as
she before coffined In the Gallo Romantic
Cemetery OF st. RenY, Of the flight of time
of its mutations.
The skeleton of Roman warrior, too lies
here in state on his funeral car. bracelet of
wrought gold Is on his fleshless arm. His
bronze helmet and other warlike accoutre-
ments are ranged IN silent, and harmless
symetry around his disjotnted limbs. He lies
there to preach to thOughtless Paris, with
wOrdless eloquence, the fate of valOr and
puissance, as well as youth and beauty.
The Ethnic specimens of the different
epochs form a collection that would require
weeks Of study for adequate appreciation, In
the "Salle 5me" is bronze life-size figure OF
knight. He sleeps In his armor, The eyes
and brow, seen through the haIf-Opened vizOr,
and the position are simply perfect. 1t is
tiCketed, M. LIE COmte LEIPZIG. To examine the
different suits OF armor displayed in the de-
partmentS Of the Middle Ages is like reading
q chapter from IvanhOe. No wonder knights
taken In battle were killed instead Of i'm
prsoned, that the victor might possess his
effects The fine steel workmanship inwrOught
with gold, the gay trappiDgs Of the horses,
the jeweled bucklers and helmets, the golden
stirrups and spurs might well tempt the
questionable morality Of the darker ages.
The Illuminated manuscripts Of the eleventh
and twelfth centuries are well worth the at
tention OF those who delight to delve among
the treasures OF The past. Among them, we
cannot help particularly noting an achieve
ment In the shape OF carving in wood won
derful In it's perfectiOn-"the illustrated ma
tivity of Christ figures being in cedar,
and 80 minute that the whole subject does
not occupy more space than two pages OF q
family Bible: or course each scene-as the
offerings OF the wise men, etc.--S caught in
q sort Of shallow box, because the figures do
not lie close to the back ground.
Inc nearer We approach the eighteenth
century the more do objects of luxury multi
ply. Particularly is this the case during the
Renaissance.
Old and curious books, some Of them with
heavily lewGled covers, remind us Of the fact
that in days gone by book was fortune.
A rare collection Of watches attracted great
deal OF attention. One Is of plain silver, as
ltbt 30 DO oil vi QIudLy SbnCSlg hAu LIuCu llhb d
llattened turnip. Hereis the watch of Henry
Ill Of France-,a rectangular crystal, about
an inch by an inch and half; on one end is
cut a griffin head, in the other is set the dial
plate, 1t may possibly have been this pretty
toy that indicated to the weak prince the
fatal moment when the best blood Of France
would pour out in unstaunched torrents on
the fatal eve of St. Bartholomew; for,
though he at first denied having given his
consent to the atrocious deed, he afterwards
acknowledged his completely, 1t was the
same Henry III who personally visited Ber-
nard Palsy in his dungeon in the Bastile in
order to procure the recantation of the IA
nous HuguenOt. Palsy was the greatest
potter in France, and also a naturalist. This
enabled him to execute all Kramer of beauti-
full designs on his dishes. He was already
seyenty-nine years old when he made his
celebrated reply. Henry, wearied with his |
refusal to give up the Protestant doctrine, |
threatened him with death. "Sire, the Guis-
carts, all your people and yourself cannot
compel potter to bow down to images OF
clay" A few months afterwards the king |
was assassinated through the agency of the |
Duchess Montpensier. Bernard Palissy |