The National tribune., 1883-06-21

of this curious museum fails TO give true iFea
of it. The Chamber of Horrors. the fgures thas
breathe aud the mistakes taat aEs made in sx-
pecting wax figures to move and living persons
to prove wax are familiar enough but the
queer effect Of the place, as whole, must be
felt,-it cannot be described 1t wholly IuStIAes
the fame of the museum and the tone of amuse-
Dlent in which reference is always made to is.
There is large hall brilliantly lighted, hot,
and stuffy. The first impression, on entering.
is of reception ss which an unusually largs
number OF persons in brilliant dress receive
unusually commonplace company. By degrees
it becomes evident that shere is no converse
tion between the hosts and the guests, but thas
the latter move about IN an inquisitiye way,
peering at the brilliantiy-dressed persons, and
consulting little books which the observers hold
in their hands. The moving portion Of the
company consists of foreigners and shabby Lon
doners. Later it il seen that the entertainers
are inattentiye and even rigid in their do
meanor; i; that they are a mixed assemblage
gathered from many countries and several
Christian centuries; that they do not belong
together. and can have no interest in ths
staring crowd that surrounds them Near the
door, on tall pedestals, their backs turned
to the entering company, stand Benjamin.
Franklin and George Washington In front Of
them is Madame Tuszaud, tiny woman Of
great age, clad in black, who ftly perpetuases
by her queer wax personality the memory OK
the founder. The story of this lady throws
light upon the character of the establishments
with its taetful mixture Of worthless appeals 70
sensational taste and real relics that no less
historical because they are also popular. The
biography of Madame Tussaud relates that this
worthy woman was sent at very early aga
from her home in Berne TO an uncle IN Paris.
who taught her to model in wax The Lady
Elizabeth, the sister of Louis XVI, employed
~
and keeping the teacher az Versailles and az
the Tuilleries until 1880 Hence Madame Tus-
saud and her deseendents have kept strong
interest in French history, and there is az eu-
tcrtaining FreRch flavor in the wax society.
Mixed up with groups-of English royal person.
ages and American Presidents are the family Of
Louis XVI and the court of Napoleon, with the
carriage and death-bed (b0na 6de) and the
lying in state Tin wax Of Napoleon himself
Nothing could be more entertaining than the
inc0ngruity of the mixture of nstionalities,
and this extends even 70 the Chamber Of
Horrors, where numbers Of brutal English mur-
derersare assembled in wax under the shadow
of the actual guillotine on which Louis XVI,
Marie Ant0lnette, and scores OF the best and
worst men and women of France perished in
the last ten years of the last century. The end
In view In every arrangement IS the presenta-
tion of persons whose names are familiar; and
the latest addition is, naturally, James Carey,
the Irish informer. Since familiarity and
popular interest decide who shall be repre-
sented, it happens that Mr.. Garfield, Mr. Lin
coin, General Grant and Andrew Johnson
stand not many steps removed from this same
James Carey. There is tact in the selection Of
the site Of the museum-in Baker street. as
the west end. There IS tact in the careful rep
reseatation of royal groups, so that minute
points of dress and expression bear inspection,
and priggish children have an idea OF making
progress in study as they look on these enter
| tanning illustrations of their school books.
CATCHING THE PUBLIC EYE.
There is tact in the sprinkling of WeIIington's
| clothing, Napeleon's jewelry, James IFs snuff
boxes and scraps of Henry Wits cloth of gold
among wax figures whose interest Is so vulgar
| that they could not be exhibited in less pre-
| tentious surroundings Most of all is there
tact in inducing members of the Royal Family
| to visit the museum and make possible the an
nouncement published in very black letters al
/ the top of the six-penny catalogue that their
Royal Highnesses, the Prince and Princess Of
/ Wales, and children, with the Grand Duke and
| Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse," visited the
/ museum as recently as 1879. This fact alone
insures the attendance Of large numbers Of
people, who are persuaded that an Institution
j worthy the attention of the Royal Family de-
serves visit But the most entertaining fea-
ture of the establishment Is one which boy
would hardly notice This is the family re-
| semblanee between the Royal Academy exhibi-
ton and Madame TussauRs The purchasing
| public desires portraits OF celebrities, and the
/ painters of the realm I'll the walls of the acad
| envy with portraits Of the most renowned men
/ of the generation The museur-vi visiting pub
/ lie demands portraits of celebrities, and
| Madame Tussaud's museum produces soma
| scores OF murderers with just enough respect
| able people who have an interest for the public
to save the whole from being pronounced
/ slow"
/ These are few of the entertaining things
! which London offers TO boy travellers. and every
new day brings new riches, bountiful in pro-
portion TO the lads qUickness of interest,"
| quicknes Of perception, aud careful previous
reading. F.k-