Many other toasts, and many pleasing remarks, beguiled the hours, till approaching midnight suggested the appropriateness of the guests departing to their more congenial homes. Professor Forbes contributed some verses suitable to the occasion. As the thoughts of the learned professor have never yet appeared in print, no apology will be needed for presenting them to the visitor. The poet-geologist having told how the company were indebted to the hospitality of Mr. Waterhouse Hawkins, for the opportunity of spending the last day of the old year in "an antediluvian dragon,' proceeded thus to refer to the iguanodon, the "roaring" chorus being taken up by the company in a manner so fierce and enthusiastic, as almost to lead to the belief that a herd of iguanodons were bellowing from some of the numerous pit-falls in Penge Park, in which they had been entrapped:

(A roar.)

To spread sound knowledge near and far
They've come to life again!

Though savage war her teeth may gnash,
And human blood may flow,

And foul ambition, fierce and rash,
Would plunge the world in woe.

Each column of this palace fair
That heavenward soars on high,
A flag of hope shall on it bear,
Proclaiming strife must die!

And art and science far shall spread
Around this fair domain,

The People's Palace rears its head
With life in it again."

THE DIRECTORS REPORT PROGRESS, AND ASK FOR MORE FUNDS.

At length, however, apparently insuperable difficulties began to yield to the energy and perseverance of contractors and artists, and by the 28th of February 1854, such progress had been made as to warrant the Directors in stating publicly that the building would be opened in the month of May. Confidence in the success of the undertaking appeared to grow with the difficulties with which the Directors had to contend, and a demand was made upon the shareholders for further subscriptions to the amount of a quarter of a million. The Directors attributed the necessity of this increased expenditure, amounting, with the previous call, to more than double the sum first estimated, to the great delay and difficulty caused by the unseasonable weather and accidents, which had occasioned large extra expense, not only in themselves, but also in the exertions to make up for lost time, so as to ensure the opening in May-to the extraordinary rise in wages and the prices of materials, which had affected those portions of the work which did not admit of being let by contract, and the necessity which had arisen for embracing in the scheme objects not contemplated in the original estimate, such as the widening of roads, and the construction of new approaches and carriage stands. Among other items of increased expenditure incurred was that of taking on lease, for eighty-four years, Dulwich Wood, immediately opposite the building, at an annual rental of 3,000l., a portion of which property was made use of in the construction of a magnificent road in front of the building of nearly 100 feet in width. The elaborate and highly finished manner also in which the various fine arts and industrial courts had been carried out, also caused a greatly increased expenditure. The Pompeian House had expanded under the able direction of Mr. Wyatt, from a refreshment-room, as originally intended, to a complete and accurate representation of a house in Pompeii. The total cost at which the entire scheme, up to the present time, has been carried out has been one million, and certainly never was a million of money better expended, or more magnificent results obtained from the outlay of such a sum.

Of the various items of expenditure, up to the 28th of February, there were for purchase of land, after deducting the sum received for re-sales, 50,2407.; purchase and removal of the original building, 95,000l.; construction of the main building, 135,000.; tunnel and heating apparatus, 24,5367.; wings of the Crystal Palace, and

water towers, 34,0907.; hydraulic works, fountains, lakes, Artesian wells, &c., 93,670.; park, terraces, gardens, 98,2147.; new roads and approaches, 4,350.; interior of building, plants, garden works, fountains inside the palace, 6,450/.; natural history illustrations, 11,1767.; fine arts' courts, Pompeian, Alhambra, Assyrian, Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Medieval, Renaissance, Italian, and Byzantine, 52,500l.; collection of sculpture, 32,000l.; sundry fittings, 7,0007.; general expenses, 35,3147. The further sum of 250,000l. to be raised was required to be expended in the following manner : - building new staircases from the basement story, additional strengthening, and increased space in the wings, 12,5007., making the total cost of the building, with its heating apparatus, 305,0267.; and a sum of 30,000l. was to be expended in taking down the water towers, which were considered unsafe, and rebuilding them in a larger and more substantial manner. On the construction of hydraulic works, principally in the sinking of an Artesian well, a further sum of 20,0001. has been expended, as, also, an additional sum of 27,000l. for additions made to the cascades and the iron pipes and valves connected with them; dolphins and Mercuries, sculptured figures and temples for the cascades, absorbed a further sum of 17,000l., making the total expenses connected with the water displays, rather more than 200,000l. The grounds, in consequence of an enlargement to the extent of fifty-eight acres, required an additional grant of 29,500, making a total expenditure in that department, exclusive of hydraulic works, of 127,7147.

The expenditure in the park and grounds has been almost the same as that upon the Crystal Palace. The fine arts' department, under Mr. D. Wyatt and Mr. Owen Jones, received in February a further grant of 50,000., making their total estimated cost 102,500l. A sum of 26,000l. was expended in the construction of the seven industrial courts devoted to the exhibition of musical instruments, stationery, Sheffield and Birmingham goods, printed and woven fabrics, and French productions. To Mr. Waterhouse Hawkins was also awarded a further sum of 4,000l. in order to enable him to complete his interesting collection of extinct animals. Arranged under general heads, the expenditure, so far as the details have been furnished up to the present time, may be thus stated :

On the authority of Sir Joseph Paxton, the whole undertaking will have cost, in round numbers, one million; and no person who visits the Crystal Palace will dissent from the remarks of Sir Joseph:-"I think the shareholders, as well as the directors, on reflection and observation, will not fail to perceive that so grand a plan, comprising the erection of certainly the largest building in Europe, the formation of an extensive collection of objects of art and science, and the preparation of ornamental gardens of upwards of 200 acres in extent, will not suffer, as regards cost, by comparison with any other scheme, whether of a public or private nature." A more striking proof of the determination of those who had embarked their property in an undertaking, to see it carried out in a manner at once creditable to themselves and honourable to their country, was never afforded than by the readiness with which the increased capital was provided; and certainly it was a noble spectacle which was then held forth to the world; for the country was on the eve of embarking in a great struggle against ambitious despotism, and in favour of an oppressed nation abroad, but sincerely desirous of elevating the moral, social, and physical condition of the masses at home, there were still found those, who while they looked calmly on the preparations for these hostilities, proceeded with hopeful confidence to carry out that peaceful enterprise which had originated at a different period, and under far more favourable cumstances.

THE CRYSTAL PALACE: ITS CONSTRUCTION AND DIMENSIONS.

When in the memorable year 1851 an attempt was first made to construct upon a large scale an edifice of glass and iron, in a style of architecture which must be considered as purely English, an immense excitement was created among professional men and architects deeply versed in Vitruvian lore. It was interesting to note the manner in which, with a grave shake of the head, far more expressive and full of meaning than Lord Burleigh's famous nod, the rising lights of their profession deprecated the departure from the ordinary rules of construction, and predicted the speedy downfall of the fragile "house of cards." The completion and ultimate removal of the edifice, its re-construction upon a scale of greater magnificence at Sydenham, have established the value of the new style of English architecture, and, at the same time, it has afforded a striking proof of the value of many of those qualities which are characteristic of the English people. Our courage has been manifested in the readiness with which we have undertaken so vast a scheme; our energy, determination, and strength, has been shown by the rapidity with which our operations have been carried on; that freedom and liberty, on the possession of which we so justly pride ourselves, have been strikingly attested by the fact, that it has been in the power of the people, alone and unaided by Government resources,

to call forth the existence of a palace for themselves; while the fact that this Crystal Palace has been constructed without the slightest pecuniary assistance from Government, is an evidence of the wealth and noble spirit of enterprise which pervades more or less every class of society.

Jewish historians relate how that the chosen people, on their return from captivity, wept as they gazed upon their second and restored temple, and contrasted it with the magnificence of that in which they were wont to assemble prior to their removal from their native land. With far different feelings, however, will the people of England gaze upon their restored Palace-one far superior in magnificence of design and permanence of construction to that which first astonished and delighted millions of visitors in 1851. The main features of difference between the two buildings consist in the fact, that the present building has one centre, and two end transepts; while the former had but one in its centre. The Exhibition building was, with the exception of the transept, covered by a flat roof, whereas the nave of the Crystal Palace is covered by a semicircular vault of glass. The present building has also two wings at the extremities which, together with the main structure, communicate with splendid terraces and walks.

The Crystal Palace stands nearly north and south, on the summit of the Penge Hill, its length being 1,608 feet, its greatest breadth at the central transept 384, and at the smaller transepts 336 feet. The general width of the body of the building, between the transepts, including the glazed and open corridors, is 312 feet. In the old building, the greatest width was 456 feet, and at the transept it was 408 feet. The ground upon which the building stands slopes very much towards the park, and rows of brick piers are run up to support the front rows of columns. The nave consists of a grand avenue, nearly double the width of the nave of St. Paul's Cathedral, and more than three times its length; it is 72 feet wide, and 1,608 feet long, and crosses the transepts at right angles. At a height of 68 feet from the floor, there springs a semi-cylindrical vault 72 feet in diameter, which stretches away from one end of the nave to the other. The central transept has a vaulted roof of 120 feet span, extending for a length of 384 feet. The span of this noble arch is about 20 feet larger than that of St. Peter's at Rome, and nearly 40 feet greater than that of St. Paul's in London. The space covered by this colossal vault is considerably larger than the whole Minster at York. The walls of St. Paul's Cathedral are 14 feet thick-those of the Crystal Palace 8 inches; St. Paul's was thirty-five years in building-the People's Palace has been constructed in little more than twice as many weeks. At a distance of 528 feet on cach side of the central transept, the nave is intersected by the two smaller transepts, each of which are, however, of the same dimensions as that which formed the great feature of the late Exhibition building. They are 72 feet in diameter, and spring from the same height as the vaulted roof of the nave, that