IN

N the ANNUAL REGISTER of last year was given an account of the origin and progress of the design of the Great Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations; and of the stupendous and beautiful edifice erected for the display of the products of all the regions of the world, collected in pursuance of that undertaking.

The description there given is chiefly confined to the operative details; but as the building itself was not the least remarkable of the products of Art, Science, and Industry, which the occasion called forth, the general effect of the exterior and interior properly forms part of the description of the Exhibition, as such. As to the exterior, a general comprehensive view from a well-chosen point of sight, and a moderate distance, embraced an edifice of which it was instantly felt that that part on which the eye most naturally rested was at once vast and beautiful; the semicircular end and roof of the great transept rose from its apparent base in beautiful and majestic proportion, and was carried back into a perspective as unusual as it was pleasing by the ridge-and-furrow arrangement of its arched ribs and glazing;-but from this fine centre, the nave ran east and

west to a length disproportioned both to its width and height. The peculiarity of its form tended greatly to exaggerate this defect, except from a very lofty point of sight; for as the width of the aisles was equal to their height, the outermost ridge or parapet shut off from the eye of a near spectator the whole or great part of the rise of the inner aisles and nave; indeed to such an extent, that a spectator viewing the building from any close point would see the transept-end in its full height and proportion, rising from a building extending 800 feet right and left, and not more than 24 feet in height. Had the roof of the nave been vaulted, in the same manner as the transept-as was in fact proposed-this dis-sight would have been avoided, and the effect would probably have been as fine as has ever been witnessed. In singular and agreeable contrast with the great circles of the transept view was the rectilinear beauty of the east and west ends. Rising tier above tier in just gradations, the slender columns crowning each other without a fault, the girders forming a beautiful frieze, the bays filled in with semicircular headings, the parapet fringed with a trefoil ornament, and the points

gay with pennons; these aspects of the building left nothing to be desired. The whole exterior was painted in its main lines of a delicate blue upon a white and stone ground; the bays of the lower story were filled in with panel, stained in imitation of dark oak; the parapet of the aisles and of the transept were fringed throughout with the trefoil ornament, the perpendicular lines being carried above the roofs by rods on which were displayed the banners of the nations and cities which contributed to the Exhibition within. On the whole, from the slenderness of the columns, the light and elegant tone of the colouring, the transparency and reflective qualities of the glass, and the fluttering of innumerable pennons, the general appearance was light, airy, and gay, without any tawdriness or insufficiency.

It is more difficult to convey an idea of the interior of the edifice. The form of the entire building has been stated to be a parallelogram, 1848 feet long by 408 feet wide; but this was not the idea which the mind conceived of it from the interior; it then impressed itself as a cruciform structure, having its naves and transepts of equal width, the former having double aisles of such dimensions as to make the total width equal to the length of the latter. The best point from which to view the interior was from either of the cluster of columns which formed the angle at which the nave and transept met. That which first attracted the eye was the surprising beauty of the transept. Of just proportions in length, width, and height, it rose tier upon tier of slender columns which carried arches of cobweb-like tenuity; the VOL. XCIII.

transept-ends brought the circles of the roof into beautiful harmony with the rest of the building by fan-like rays which filled in the circular heads and conducted the eye agreeably to the straight lines of the columns and girders; the end walls (if those may be called walls which were all transparent) were relieved by extremely beautiful examples of gates of cast and wrought iron placed somewhat within; while some magnificent elms which were inclosed within the transept, and which were now in full leaf, gave the eye relief by their unsullied green, and conveyed to the mind an idea of freshness and repose. Passing from the transept the eye now followed the long lines of perpendicular columns and horizontal girders and trusses through a long perspective, different from anything which has heretofore been seen in architecture; the extreme slenderness of the columns and the lightness of the ties and rafters being fully exhibited by the universal distribution of light. And here must be noticed, as it well deserves to be, that the exact science and mechanical execution applicable to this building produced that in which the very choicest examples of Gothic architecture will be found deficient, viz., the most perfect rectilinear accuracy of every part, so that neither in a single perpendicular range of columns, nor in the horizontal lines of the galleries or roof, could the most fastidious eye detect the slightest departure from mathematical accuracy; this completeness, besides the pleasure it conveyed to the eye, had another singular effect-that, although the long perspective necessarily brought many ranges of columns into sight at once, the mind never received the idea of K K

intricacy, nor roved about "in wondering mazes lost," but assigned them without effort to their proper positions. The eye would now travel from the roof to the ground, where a singular view presented itself-the innumerable columns rose from the ground like the stems of a forest, yet without confusion or crowding:-and over all was diffused a clear uninterrupted light from all sides which conveyed a mixed idea of a build. ing and of the open sky.

The decoration of the interior must by no means be overlookedfor it was in fact, simple as it appeared to a spectator, a most consummate work of art. The gentleman to whom this was entrusted was Mr. Owen Jones, whose profound study of the subject of decorative art gave him acknowledged authority. The principle adopted was that which the taste and skill of ancient architects had discovered, and modern judgment has approved. The fine effect produced in the extensive ranges of the ancient buildings of Egypt, Greece, Nineveh, and others, by the use of the primary colours for decoration, pointed out the same system for the Exhibition building. It is well known that these colours are blue, red, and yellow, and that when employed together in proper proportions they so far neutralize each other that no one is dominant or fatigues the eye. It has also been observed that blue retires and that yellow advances: therefore by placing the blue on the concave surfaces, yellow on the convex, and red, the colour of the middle distances, on the horizontal planesinterposing lines of white on the vertical planes to prevent the primaries becoming tinged with the complementary colours of each

other there would be produced not only that prevailing neutral tint which was so desirable for the articles exhibited, but this further effect, that the vertical and horizontal lines would present increased effects of light and shade which would carry the eye into the most distant perspective, and thus increase the apparent height and magnitude. The interior of the building was coloured according to Mr. Jones's design with all the success anticipated by its skilful suggestor. The principal portions of the roof, of a delicate blue tint, were found to harmonize beautifully with the tints of the sky seen through the glass roof. The nave, aisles, and transept presented an aspect at once cheerful, well defined, and suitable.

The general appearance of the interior when the products of the Industry of All Nations were placed within its roof, realized the most enthusiastic dreams of its promoters. The long centre aisle and lofty transept presented an endless scene of beauty and magnificence. Statues, some equestrian, others grouped in attitudes of violent action or of repose (among which Kiss's Amazon slaying a Panther; arrested the attention by its force and vigour); trophies of silk, timber, and iron; strange shapes of lighthouses and astronomical instruments; models of bridges; organs; and gushing fountains, carried the eye down the long vista, without any one of them suggesting an idea of magnitude or height too great for the building. The recessed compartments under the galleries were lightened by the brilliancy of gold-embroidered stuffs, gorgeous satins, jewellery, arms and armour, pure white sculpture, articles of steel and iron, glass, and

of every material, colour, and form. Carrying the eye up to the galleries, the attention was arrested to the waving of pendant banners, beyond which and in beautiful contrast to the lines and colours of the building, the sight was intercepted and relieved by the richest carpets, suspended from the girders, gorgeous tapestry, and the glorious transmitted hues of stained glass-before and among all these treasures of art and skill moved and flitted, in ever-changing variety, human forms, lending life and animation to the scene. Again, turning from wandering over these endless scenes to some central object, the lofty transept presented a tranquil scene of green trees and tropical plants, throwing into beautiful relief splendid statuary, and a lofty fountain of glass, from the summit of which dashed down in ample volume a glittering stream of water. Over all these wonders of art and science, and the everchanging panorama of the spectators, the transparent roof and sides threw down a pure and uninterrupted flood of light. From the perfect transparency of every part of the building, and from the material which entered so largely into its composition, it derived its popular designation of "The Crystal Palace."

ARRANGEMENT AND CLASSIFICATION

OF THE ARTICLES.

It was early apparent that the attempt to arrange the products of the world in any classified distribution would be vain, and would cause great injustice to the several nations and to the individual exhibitors. The choice specimens of each nation would be sent for the most part collectively; and the exhibition of the varied powers

and arts of a small country, which as a whole might obtain much applause, would be altogether lost if their productions were severed and placed beside those of a nation whose native powers or acquired tastes had made them great producers of similar articles; and, again, an individual whose various ingenuity in manufactures (and still more if that ingenuity was exhibited in the design or ornamentation of other materials) would have gained to a collection of his works great admiration and praise, would be utterly abstracted from notice if his labours were viewed piecemeal. The distribution resolved upon was therefore geographical. The whole of the building west of the great transept was assigned to the United Kingdom and her colonies. All that to the eastward of it, to foreign countries and their colonies, in the order of their latitude; but with this exception, that all working machinery was placed at the north-western end, which was exclusively appropriated to its reception, and where ample motive power was supplied gratuitously from eight large boilers placed in a separate building.

As regards the United Kingdom and her colonies, a certain degree of grouping was practicable; articles of the same classes were placed in appropriate courts, as the Machinery Court, the Carriage Court,

the Mineral Court, the East India Court, the Mediaval Court, the Agricultural Implement Court, and

so on.

But although a natural arrangement of the articles themselves was neither practicable nor expedient, it was necessary that there should be a biblical classification to enable the visitors to consult systematically the objects of so

vast a collection, and also to enable the jurors who were to award the prizes and consider of the whole, to weigh the relative and positive merits of the national and individual products; and that for all these purposes the classification should be both philosophical and minute.

The great Generic Division was naturally quadrupartite :-and it appears that the best mode of giving an ample idea of the contents of the Great Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations, and of the

merits of the nations and exhibitors, and to render this account of authentic and universal value, will be to arrange, from the official sources, the Generic Divisions, their Subdivisions, the names of those to whom prizes were awarded, and the articles for which they were awarded, in a collective order. The four Generic Classes wereI. RAW MATERIALS. II. MACHINERY. III. MANUFACTURES. IV. FINE ARTS.

His Royal Highness Prince Albert. For the original conception and successful prosecution of the idea of the Great Exhibition of 1851, Joint Medal with that granted for the Model Lodging House in Class VII.

Chamber of Commerce, Lyons. For the collection which it exhibits, in which is shown the general progress made through their exertions in the Silk Manufactures of Lyons.

East India Company, the Honourable. For the very valuable and extensive collection illustrating the Natural Resources and Manufactures of India.

Egypt, H.H. the Viceroy of. For the very valuable and extensive collection, illus

trating the Manufactures and Natural Resources of Egypt.

French Minister of War. For the part taken by him in exhibiting the valuable collection of Raw Products from Algeria. Spain, the Government of. For the va luable and extensive collection of Raw Products, showing the Natural Resources of Spain.

Tunis, the Bey of. For the very valuable and extensive collection, illustrating the Manufactures and Natural Resources of Tunis.

Turkey, the Government of. For the valuable and extensive collection of Raw Products, showing the Natural Resources of Turkey.