ing art was carried on under
strict surveillance, and to the highest state of perfection. As the
possession of artistic work was an object of ambition amongst the
wealthy or favored portion of the community, it led to emulation among
the workers. Professor Rawlinson, in his "Five Ancient Monarchies,"
speaks of the Persians emulating with each other in the show they
could make of their riches and variety of artistic products. This
emulation led both to private and public exhibitions. One of those
exhibitions, which lasted over a period of six months, is referred to
in the Old Testament; so when we opened our Great Exhibition in 1876
we were only resuscitating a system common in ancient times, the event
recorded in the Book of Esther having happened at least 2,200 years
before:

"In those days, when the King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his
kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, in the third year of
his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his
servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes
of the provinces, being before him: when he showed the riches of
his glorious kingdom, and the honor of his excellent majesty,
many days, even an hundred and fourscore days. And when these
days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people
that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and
unto small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's
palace; where were white green and blue hangings, fastened with
cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of
marble; the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of
red, and blue, and white, and black marble. And they gave them
drink in vessels of gold (the vessels being diverse one from
another), and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of
the king."

This must have been a magnificent exhibition. The number attending
this feast is not ascertainable; but, if the princes and nobles of the
provinces (the provinces were 127 in number), and all the officers and
great men of Persia and Media, and the servants of the palace, great
and small, were there, it must have formed an immense company. Now, as
every one drank out of a golden cup of a different pattern, we obtain
an idea of profusion in art of which we can form but a very limited
conception. This fact indicates that variety of pattern was an object
sought after--a fashion fostering a