DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1312#0149
96 THE GBEAT EXHIBITION
interfering with each other's audience. The very statues seemed animated; the Amazon
to take a still keener aim at the ferocious animal that clung with firmer gripe round her
horse's neck; the Greek Slave to cast a still prouder look of conscious dignity on the
admiring circle around her, and a new sweetness seemed to pervade her features, as though
she would fain part friends with the many who had sympathised in her wrongs. The
rich products of the loom, the graceful handicraft of the engravers on gold and silver, of
the inlayers in mosaic and wood, the glittering ornaments in papier mache, and the chaster
carvings in oak, ivory, and ebony; the painted porcelains, the cabinets, the bijoux; the
magnificent glasses, in which the passers-by took " a last look" at themselves, the utile
and the dulce all came in for a final examination. The ladies again stopped admiringly
before the shawls, the velvets, the satins, the laces, the jewellery; and even the gentlemen
lingered among the boots, the spurs, the " fancy woollens/' and other matters of male
coquetry. And now the Hallelujah swelled forth its noble strains from the great organ;
and we are much mistaken if thousands of hearts did not swell, at that moment, with
our own, in grateful acknowledgment of the goodness of an overruling and ever-watchful
Providence, that had thus allowed this beautiful Exhibition to draw to its close, without
any occurrence of accident or harm to damp the recollection of it. A minute after a
white satin flag was hoisted, with the well-known lines from Shakspere, whieh we have
already quoted; but no sooner were the words discerned, than it was indignantly torn
down, lest it might seem to prophesy that disappearance of the edifice, to which the
nation at large was, at that time, unable to reconcile itself.
And now every eye began to turn towards the clocks, and every countenance to betray
a calculation of the seconds that remained. The first unmistakable hint that the
moment for the final close was approaching, was given, very unceremoniously, by
the ruthless hand of a pompier, who, with officious haste, applied a hammer to the nails
that attached the notices on the doors, respecting sticks and umbrellas, the exits and the
entrances; and speedily brought them down, with an ominous sound which seemed to
remind the clocks that they, also, had better not lose time; and forthwith they began
to strike the hour of departure. Yet there was a reprieve of a few minutes. Another
flag was waved, and then was struck up the national anthem; hats flew off, and " God
save our gracious Queen" burst at once from the thousands round, with more energy than
harmony; as, unfortunately, the organs all thought proper to join, one after another,
and seemed trying which could get along the fastest. However, the sentiment was the
same: cheers reverberated through the vast edifice; handkerchiefs were waved; the
great bell joined in
" The concord of sweet sounds "
with all its might, and soon overpowered them all. Its arguments were not to be resisted;
and, in compassion to their own ears, the goodly company were compelled to depart,
though not without casting many
" A longing, lingering look behind,"
and giving utterance to many an eulogium on all that they had seen—many a regret that
it was to be seen no more. But the Crystal Palace has not yet done half its mission—we
might, indeed, say not a thousandth part of it. All its greatest benefits are to come; and
although dismantled and reduced into its component masses of iron and glass, we may
truly exclaim—
" The spirit is not there!"
No; it has already gone forth throughout every quarter of the civilised globe; teaching
"peace on earth, and good will amongst men," by proclaiming the guiltless triumph?
interfering with each other's audience. The very statues seemed animated; the Amazon
to take a still keener aim at the ferocious animal that clung with firmer gripe round her
horse's neck; the Greek Slave to cast a still prouder look of conscious dignity on the
admiring circle around her, and a new sweetness seemed to pervade her features, as though
she would fain part friends with the many who had sympathised in her wrongs. The
rich products of the loom, the graceful handicraft of the engravers on gold and silver, of
the inlayers in mosaic and wood, the glittering ornaments in papier mache, and the chaster
carvings in oak, ivory, and ebony; the painted porcelains, the cabinets, the bijoux; the
magnificent glasses, in which the passers-by took " a last look" at themselves, the utile
and the dulce all came in for a final examination. The ladies again stopped admiringly
before the shawls, the velvets, the satins, the laces, the jewellery; and even the gentlemen
lingered among the boots, the spurs, the " fancy woollens/' and other matters of male
coquetry. And now the Hallelujah swelled forth its noble strains from the great organ;
and we are much mistaken if thousands of hearts did not swell, at that moment, with
our own, in grateful acknowledgment of the goodness of an overruling and ever-watchful
Providence, that had thus allowed this beautiful Exhibition to draw to its close, without
any occurrence of accident or harm to damp the recollection of it. A minute after a
white satin flag was hoisted, with the well-known lines from Shakspere, whieh we have
already quoted; but no sooner were the words discerned, than it was indignantly torn
down, lest it might seem to prophesy that disappearance of the edifice, to which the
nation at large was, at that time, unable to reconcile itself.
And now every eye began to turn towards the clocks, and every countenance to betray
a calculation of the seconds that remained. The first unmistakable hint that the
moment for the final close was approaching, was given, very unceremoniously, by
the ruthless hand of a pompier, who, with officious haste, applied a hammer to the nails
that attached the notices on the doors, respecting sticks and umbrellas, the exits and the
entrances; and speedily brought them down, with an ominous sound which seemed to
remind the clocks that they, also, had better not lose time; and forthwith they began
to strike the hour of departure. Yet there was a reprieve of a few minutes. Another
flag was waved, and then was struck up the national anthem; hats flew off, and " God
save our gracious Queen" burst at once from the thousands round, with more energy than
harmony; as, unfortunately, the organs all thought proper to join, one after another,
and seemed trying which could get along the fastest. However, the sentiment was the
same: cheers reverberated through the vast edifice; handkerchiefs were waved; the
great bell joined in
" The concord of sweet sounds "
with all its might, and soon overpowered them all. Its arguments were not to be resisted;
and, in compassion to their own ears, the goodly company were compelled to depart,
though not without casting many
" A longing, lingering look behind,"
and giving utterance to many an eulogium on all that they had seen—many a regret that
it was to be seen no more. But the Crystal Palace has not yet done half its mission—we
might, indeed, say not a thousandth part of it. All its greatest benefits are to come; and
although dismantled and reduced into its component masses of iron and glass, we may
truly exclaim—
" The spirit is not there!"
No; it has already gone forth throughout every quarter of the civilised globe; teaching
"peace on earth, and good will amongst men," by proclaiming the guiltless triumph?