Page 58

58    Aspect qf the Exhibition at the Queen's Visit, on the 15th April. 
foundations of Oslers' fountain, Mr. Lough superintending the safe carriage
of 
his "Puck," Mr. Thorneycroft giving the finishing touches to the
equestrian 
statue of the Queen, Dr. Royle filling the glass cases with the East Indian
col- 
lection, &c. ; a "traveller" enables workmen to affix the last
ties to the roof; 
painters, like spiders, are crawling in and out the girders to give them
the last 
touches of decoration ; the skeleton of the Spitalfields silk trophy is appearing;
and the Queen with the Prince, and their two eldest daughters, is in the
midst 
of the strife of labour. "A glance satisfies us that a true success
is achieved, 
and that even the painting, about which there have been so many words, is
not 
so bad after all; on the contrary, indeed, its effect is most harmonious
and ap- 
propriate, especially in the far distances of the roof, where the prevailing
tint 
of blue so similates that of the heavens on a fine day, that we appear literally
sub emlo, and holding a great fair in the open air,-a vast out-of-doors holiday
! 
Where we now stand, in the centre of the building, although the painting
has 
been nearly completed, we are in what is necessarily the least finished part,
as 
far as the the erection of stalls is concerned,-this spot, as most central,
having 
been the principal place for the unlading of goods, especially of the foreign
department; and therefore its flooring and that of half of the western nave,
which formed the passage for the waggons, which is appropriated to British
goods, have been delayed being put down till the last few days." When
the 
foreigners were told that the temporary entrance would be closed on the even-
ing of the 2d April, they were incredulous. They came the next morning, and
found not only the entrance closed, but twenty feet of floor-boards laid
across 
the nave, and the derricks and cranes removed and fixed at the east end.
Then for the first time they believed the opening would, in truth, take place
on the 1st May, and from that time they seemed to awaken and to go to work
in 
right earnest. The foreigners had much advantage over us, as their portion
of 
the nave had been floored for at least a month before the western part, but
they 
did not avail themselves of it. At our end, however, British energy made
up 
our leeway, and we are rapidly giving good promise of early completion. 
"The visitor, after regarding the transept, and speculating on its arrange-
ment and the light it will afford for large works of British statuary, which
are 
intended to be placed there, and attempting to realise the effect of the
great 
centre glass fountain, and perhaps imagining that it will appear like a beautiful
iceberg spouting up its just uncrystallised showers to cool the sultry air
of 
July, proceeds naturally along one or other part of the nave (the foreign
one pro- 
bably first, as curiosity will most probably lead him there), in case he
has become 
possessed of the magic talisman of the place in the shape of a little green
ticket, 
written on, ' Special pass everywhere."' He peeps in awhile into the
hoardings 
on either side, and in quick transit, not to be exceeded even by our promised
bal- 
loon travelling, makes rapid incursions by turns into Tunis, where the national
yellow prevails in the covering of the walls,-into Austria, and finds mous-
tachioed carpenters and joiners laying parqueterie floors, and carvers giving
the 
last touches to magnificent furniture,-into the crimson-coloured sculpture
hall 
of the Zollverein,- into Switzerland, beginning to uncover its laces and
em- 
broideries,-into France, where he sees little but the fixing of-machines,-and
into the United States, where vacancy too much abounds, &c. In all are
all 
;orts of matters which a rapid glance tells are characteristic of their origin
and 
country. The nave of the foreign department appears as if it would be chiefly
filled with matters of art. Several colossal works of sculpture are already
raised on their pedestals. First comes M. Le Seigneur's group of St. Michael
and 
Satan, vigorous and French, which (the angel wearing petticoats and the devil
having a ferocious tail) we overheard two English workmen protest to be 
meant for the Queen killing the Pope! Next a bronzed zinc group, far above
life-size, by Kiss of Berlin, of an Amazon slaying a tiger that has seized
her 
horse. Next a colossal bronie lion, apparently cast in one piece. The Austrians
are fixing a fine group of "Mazeppa." Few works, specially of industry,
have 
as yet been opened out in the foreign departments: among those to be seen
may be mentioned some, striking metal and glass work from Holland, and 
a fine collection of stuffed animals from Germany, which will be one of