benefactress of universal man, from the crowned head to the savage of the wilderness; while she builds up her own greatness by administering to the wants of others."

The exhibitors in this court are Messrs. Peyton and Sons, Messrs. Jennens and Betteridge (Papier Maché Manufacturers), Messrs. Blews and Sons, Messrs. W. Parker, E. Lingard, Frederick Allen, R. Timmins, J. C. Onions, James Horsfall, and others.

THE SHEFFIELD COURT.

The court devoted to the illustration and exhibition of articles of Sheffield manufacture was designed by Mr. Stokes, the son-inlaw of Sir Joseph Paxton, and it is one of the most effective of the series. When completed and fully furnished it will present an appearance of which the following description given in the Edinburgh Guardian is by no means an exaggerated one:

In this Sheffield Court one may judge of the varied manner in which, with material so apparently unsusceptible of it, the aims at Sydenham are transforming the compartment of a trade-show into a vision from the Arabian Nights, while preserving every convenience of business. Crimson and purple colours glow round the lower partition, decked with candelabra, with arms, vases, cutlery, and all the various products of their kind, each under its maker's name; the area glitters with its slabs and tables, orderly arranged : all round, through the open arcade, decorated with arabesques, is seen the strange tropical verdure of palms, bananas, acacias, that feather sometimes past the upper gallery to the roof; above-each within its section of the richly bracketed cornice-those figured spaces are frescoes of the origin, progress, and effect of metal-work or craft in steel-a pregnant history; over each, all round, their overhanging range of mirror, sloped inward, with reverted image, and shimmering flush of colour, mingled with reflections of the pilasters from below, all glittering and breaking downward, in gorgeous confusion, that serves to render the distinctness dreamlike. The Moors never reached an effect by half so fanciful: the art of decoration might well pause. Yet over all stretches the azure space of roof, in ridge and rib, with diamond-framed girders of blue and white, so softly lucid, so half-aerial. Be we practical or poetical, could we not gaze about on those lamps, those arms, those multifarious appliances, and feel as if we went once more with young Aladdin, or were once more the Caliph, mingling unknown among his people in the bazaars of Bagdad seeing secrets and planning strange surprises."

Of articles exhibited in this court, the visitor will notice many of the excellent specimens sent by Messrs. Fisher and Bramall, Messrs. Parker and Thompson, Messrs. Guest and Chimes, Messrs. Turton and Sons, Messrs. Nappin, Brothers, Messrs. Wilkinson and Son, Messrs. Crocker, Brothers, Mr. Jowitt, all of whom are Sheffield manufacturers.

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THE SOUTH NAVE.

Retracing our way along the nave we may examine those more adventurous producers, who, scorning the comparative quiet of the enclosed courts, boldly sought the foremost positions in the ranks of industry, and who paid heavy sums to secure their proud position, and to satisfy the demands for "rent" made by Mr. Belshaw, on behalf of the shareholders of the Crystal Palace. In that richly decorated case designed by Mr. Owen Jones, the Mayor of Oxford, Mr. Spiers, whose valuable private collection of works of art attests his taste and liberality, exhibits the choicest of his famed papier maché productions. In the centre is a table, on the top of which is portrayed picuresque views of the city of which he is the chief magistrate. Around it are trays, and baskets, and desks, and cabinets, and portfolios, and some of those thousand of fanciful forms which papier maché is made to assume for the purpose of graceful ornamentation and household decoration. Mr. Mechi, in a wonder of a case, displays some of the dressing cases, and cutlery, and strops," which have conferred immortality upon Leadenhallstreet. Messrs. Atkinson and Co. invite attention to their extensive and well assorted collection of perfumeries, and their fancy articles for the toilettes of the fair visitors. Messrs. De la Rue charm us by their display of fancy and useful stationery of all kinds, and recall to recollection the time when, in the nave of the Great Exhibition, wondering thousands clustered around their ingenious envelope-folding machine, their gay playing cards, and iridescent decorations. Messrs. Jackson and Graham support their wellestablished reputation for cabinet work in another department; and here they display some of the finest bronzes of MM. Barbedienne and Collas of Paris, which received the highest of medals at the Great Exhibition. Messrs. Osler, of Crystal Fountain notoriety, show fine specimens of their best crystal works. Groux's Patent Soap Company show an attractive collection of their fancy soaps, and Price's Patent Candle Company attract notice by their patent candles. There are others, one of whose names must suffice enumeration, who form a part of this foremost rank of exhibitors; among them are Messrs._Macdonald of Glasgow, Messrs. Barnett and Myers, Messrs. Forrest and Sons, Messrs. Judkins and Wickerham, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Powell of Dublin, Messrs. Brown, and others, to whose productions we may more particularly refer in subsequent editions.

FURNITURE.-If the visitor will now pass to the back of the Sheffield and Birmingham Courts, he will there see the productions of a small army of exhibitors of furniture, mineral manufactures, and hard-ware. Articles of furniture are contributed by many of the principal makers in town and country. Prominent at the head

of all competitors is the firm of Jackson and Graham, of Oxfordstreet, who was only prevented, in consequence of his being one of the jurors, from successfully carrying off several of the highest rewards at the Great Exhibition, and whose cabinet work there exhibited, rivalled in beauty of design, and surpassed in execution, the best of the works produced by foreign exhibitors. The other exhibitors include Messrs. Wilkinson and Co., Messrs. Crace, Messrs. Teale and Smith, Messrs. J. and W. Vokins, Messrs. Oliver and Sons, Messrs. Smee and Sons, Messrs. Filmer, John Box, H. J. Betjeman, R. Harrison, W. G. Rogers, J. Lyle, W. Nosottie, J. Bayley, R. Loader, &c.

HARDWARE, exclusive of that exhibited in the Birmingham and Sheffield Courts, is exhibited by a large number of manufacturers, principally of London. Among them may be mentioned Messrs. Hulett and Co. of High Holborn, who exhibit coffee-urns, and many useful articles of domestic economy. Messrs. J. and W. Hill, Messrs. Parnell and Puckeridge, Messrs. Burney and Bellamy, Messrs. Moorewood and Rogers, Messrs. J. and S. Knight, Messrs. Warner and Sons, Messrs. Robinson, Langton, and Co., Messrs. Russell and Co., Messrs. Hart and Sons, Messrs. Nye and Co., Messrs. Benham and Sons, Messrs. Duley and Sons, Messrs. Barringer and Co., Messrs. Selby and Johns, Messrs. Chubb and Son, Messrs. Ralph and Co., Messrs. Masters, J. W. Hill, W. Kent, A. Lyon, W. Young, E. Zimmerman, Robert Jobson, James Billing, and others who occupied a position in the late Great Exhibition.

MINERAL MANUFACTURES.-Conspicuous among the exhibitors of this description of goods are the Messrs. Minton and Co., who have furnished the encaustic tiles and mosaic pavement required in the various courts of the Crystal Palace. The specimens here exhibited are some of the finest that have yet been produced by the firm. Messrs. Minton have confined themselves to the exhibition of encaustic tiles, and have not sent any specimens of their beautiful works in china and porcelain, such as were shown by them at the late Great Exhibition. There is also in this department some specimens sent by Messrs. Buckwell and Co., whose granitic breccia, referred to in another place, was employed in the construction of the ornamental basins in the nave. The other exhibitors are Messrs. Morgan and Rees, Messrs. Doulton and Co., Messrs. Brace and Coult, the London and Penzance Serpentine Company, the Farnley Iron Company, Messrs. Stevens, Lipscombe, Blashfield, Finch, Brown, Workman, and others.

SOUTH WEST GALLERY.

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The visitor will now ascend the staircase at "Charing Cross," King Charles' statue, close to the Pompeian Court, by which he will reach the south-west gallery, occupied by five classes of products,

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Miscellaneous," "Perfumery," "Chemicals," Leather," and "India Rubber." Among the varied miscellaneous articles, the earliest to attract notice, and to excite a wonder how, in the course of classification, they came there, when there was a not overcrowded musical court for their reception, are some fine “harmonicons," manufactured by Mr. Hack, of Fleet Street. These charming little instruments are said to possess the extraordinary quality of being always in tune, always up to concert pitch, and ready at a moment's notice to give forth to the skilful hand the softest and most musical of notes. At the Great Exhibition these harmonicons caused no small amount of interest, even though surrounded with instruments of far greater pretension, and a young lady who was in the habit of "discoursing sweet music" upon them, was always sure of an attentive and delighted audience, even though the vast organs or tremendous Somerphone" were pealing through the vast building. Among the exhibitors of miscellaneous articles, which tell their own character and uses, are meerschaums, by Mr. Inderwick; stuffed animals, by Mr. Bartlett; cricket bats and balls, toys, sweetmeats, and an immense variety of other things, contributed by Messrs. Marsland and Son, Messrs. Latour, Ratteau, and Co., Messrs. Philips and Co., Messrs. Holylands, Messrs. Whitelock and Son, M. Pierrottie, Mr. Noden, Mr. Saunders, Mr. Jones, Mr. Cowvan, Messrs. Mead and Powell, Mrs. Foot, Mr. Revell, Mr. Jackson, Mr. Farlowe, Mr. Child, Mr. Walden, Mr. Maynard, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Sangster, Mr. Ramage, M. Réné, Mr. Callingford, Mr. Grugeon, Mr. Carlos, Mr. Nixey, Mr. Marcus, Mr. Lewin, Mr. Lillywhite, Mr. Ansell, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Barnett, Mr. Collings, Mr. Reed, Mr. Lee, Mr. Cave, Mr. Fowle, Mr. Franks, Mr. Salmon, Mr. Wood, Mr. Holiday, Mr. Joyce, Mr. Davis, Mr. Farley, Mr. Hyam, Mr. Hodges, Mr. Giles, Mr. Kite, &c.

PERFUMERY. Next come all the elixirs, and perfumes, and ottos, which, distilled from the blooming realms of Flora, lend their fragrance to the fair daughters of Eve, and closely sealed bottles and boxes, tempting as that of Pandora, are ranged in order by Messrs. Lewis, Higgins, Samson, Sturrock and Sons, and others of the skilful fraternity, who delight to extract the fragrant essences from even the most unlovely flower or herb.

CHEMICALS. Next comes a goodly collection of chemicalscrystals of all shapes and hues, and pigment of all colours. The Electric Power, Light, and Colour Company show some of the pigments produced by their patent process, under which we are told the more electric light we consume the greater the quantity of colour and profit obtained by the consumer. We shall, probably, shortly hear of a proposal to give a handsome income to every person who will consent to have electric lights constantly burning, and the parishes will derive a large income from the pigments produced from the street lamps, and so far from light and heat being included in the list of household expenses, every anxious couple

who entertains notions of domestic economy may henceforth rely upon incomes derived from this substitute for coals and candles. Messrs. Reeves and Son show near the electric pigments some of their fine water-colours, and other articles included in this class are exhibited by Mr. Holt, Mr. Field, Mr. Gibbs, Messrs. Burton and Co., Mr. Proctor, Messrs. Jones and Co., Messrs. Blundell and Co., Mr. Rose, Mr. King, Mr. Andrews, and Mr. Allshorn.

LEATHER AND ITS MANUFACTURES.-Illustrations of the varied preparations of leather, and the uses to which it may be applied, mainly in the time honoured-craft of St. Crispin, are exhibited by Messrs. Oastler and Palmer, Messrs. Haines and Nobes, Messrs. Maxwell and Co., Messrs. Wilson and Co., Mr. Sparks Hall, Mr. Gotting, Mr. Clark, Messrs. Jones and Waters, Mr. Ford, Mr. Wright, Messrs. Cant and Son, Mr. Watson, Mrs. Davis, Messrs. Earl and Son, Mr. Deed, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Blackwell, Mr. Preller, Messrs. Swain and Co., Messrs. Hall and Co., Mr. Norman, Mr. Urch, Mr. Jeffs, and Mr. Marsden.

INDIA RUBBER.-Messrs. Macintosh and Co., Mr. Goodyear, Mr. Edmiston, Mr. Gruber, and Mr. Wansborough, illustrate the various valuable uses to which India rubber may now be applied. Articles of apparel, and articles of furniture, maps for instruction, toys for children, rafts for swimming, and shoes, and hats, and coats, are but a few of the multitudinous uses to which this useful material is applied.

WEST GALLERY.

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PHILOSOPHICAL INSTRUMENTS.-In the west gallery is exhibited a collection of philosophical instruments, and a large number of photographic portraits, by that clever chemist and artist, Mr. Mayall. Mr. Beard likewise shows some very fine specimens of his coloured portraits, almost rivalling the highly finished miniatures of the present day. Instruments for all kinds of philosophical purposes are shown by Mr. Hobson, Messrs. Horne and Co., Messrs. Elliott Brothers, Mr. Bermingham, Mr. Statham, Mr. Potter, Mr. Pottinger, Mr. Bailey, Mr. Smith, Mr. Grosmith, Mr. White, Mr. Hogg, Mr. Reid, Mr. Caplin, and others.

Continuing the promenade of this gallery, passing round the great transept, and looking down in the way upon the English and German sculpture courts-peering over the colossal head of Bavaria at the gigantic Franken opposite to it, the large horses of Castor and Pollux, and the Lantern of Demosthenes in the transept-looking down upon Egypt, upon Greece, upon Rome, and upon the Alhambra, the productions of India now present their rude and grotesque forms for examination and admiration. A portion of the space here set apart has been filled up by the East India Company with an interesting collection of articles illustrative of the habits and industry of the vast Indian empire. The industrial art of China is represented by specimens contributed from