unded by and moving with an
overwhelming mass, such as I had never before witnessed. And, away in
the distance, I beheld a dense crowd, and above every other object, was
seen the lofty summit of the Crystal Palace. The drive in the Park was
lined with princely-looking vehicles of every description. The drivers
in their bright red and gold uniforms, the pages and footmen in their
blue trousers and white silk stockings, and the horses dressed up in
their neat, silver-mounted harness, made the scene altogether one of
great splendour. I was soon at the door, paid my shilling, and entered
the building at the south end of the Transept. For the first ten or
twenty minutes I was so lost in astonishment, and absorbed in pleasing
wonder, that I could do nothing but gaze up and down the vista of the
noble building. The Crystal Palace resembles in some respects, the
interior of the cathedrals of this country. One long avenue from east to
west is intersected by a Transept, which divides the building into two
nearly equal parts. This is the greatest building the world ever saw,
before which the Pyramids of Egypt, and the Colossus of Rhodes must
hide their diminished heads. The palace was not full at any time during
the day, there being only 64,000 persons present. Those who love to
study the human countenance in all its infinite varieties, can find
ample scope for the indulgence of their taste, by a visit to the World's
Fair. All countries are there represented--Europeans, Asiatics,
Americans and Africans, with their numerous subdivisions. Even the
exclusive Chinese, with his hair braided, and hanging down his back, has
left the land of his nativity, and is seen making long strides through
the Crystal Palace, in his wooden-bottomed shoes. Of all places of
curious costumes and different fashions, none has ever yet presented
such a variety as this Exhibition. No dress is too absurd to be worn in
this place.

There is a great deal of freedom in the Exhibition. The servant who
walks behind his mistress through the Park feels that he can crowd
against her in the Exhibition. The Queen and the day labourer, the
Prince and the merchant, the peer and the pauper, the Celt and the
Saxon, the Greek and the Frank, the Hebrew and the Russ, all meet here
upon terms of perfect equality. This amalgamation of rank, this kindly
blending of interests, and forgetfulness of the cold formalities of
ranks and grades, cannot but be attended with the very bes