MELBOURNE.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 179, 7 December 1880, Page 3

MELBOURNE.

[from OCR SPECIAL G>*I?FSPoNPKNT.] I was asked to write a confession the other day : and amongst other queries was tins —“ What is your present state of mind?” I said that it was “puzzled.” After spending two day’s rft the Exhibition I must confess that I was never move bewildered in my life than when I left the building. \on must not expect a succinct descrioGcm of the whole establishment and its belongings, t say, “ establishment,” because it resembles nothing so much as a hucre furniture warehouse. On one point cvorynhcfexceptMelbou rne) isagreed and.— all is mud'-le. It is anticipated that it will be about Clirisfcitaff time.before everything is in its proper place. Some of the Courts arc Very 1 much nffiddled. The United States suffered greatly by the wreck of the “.Eric the Red”; many exhibits being totally lost. I am glad to say that the Neff Zealand Court is very well arranged, and attracts a large number of visitors daily, la lily next letter 1 shall give you full particulars of the most interesting of the Now Zealand item's. I wrts unable to give more than a hasty glance through the Court; and being unprovided with a catalogue was rather at a disadvantage. I was, however, particularly struck with the woods, the paintings of the We?i Cortot sft'enery, and the gold trophy. The woods ::V ; extremely fine," and admitted to he uneipudled throughout the building. There are half-a dozen tables made of an endless variety of native woods, which are worthy to be placed in a palace ; one, made by an Italian of Wellington, named Bernasconi, is valued at something over LIOO. It in always surrounded by a little knot of admirers. Mr Barraud exhibits some fine pictures of the superb Sounds oil the South-west coast. 31 r C. W. Richmond also hSS one or two paintings. There is a very pretty moonlight view of Pieton, but the name of the artist is lidt stated. The gold trophy is the most conspicuous object in the whole Court. It is placed on a pedestal about six feet high, and in this way one call form some estimate of the enormous bulk of the trophy. The particulars of the weight, amount, and value of the total proceeds of the New Zealand goldfields during the 20 years, ISliO to 1880; are cut into the pedestal. The weight of gold is 287 tons : the amount nine millions and a half ounces ; and the value thirty-six millions sterling. Who says New Zealand is played out? There are a variety of specimens from the various goldfields of the Colony. I did not observe that there Were any from the Marlborough fields, but it is possible that there are some and that I overlooked them. Before quitting our own Court I nlilSt not mnit to mention that a portrait of Dr .Muller is on view, in a frame forwarded by a Nelson photographer. There are about a dozen curie# in the frame, Dr .Muller having the place of honor —the centre. Uis an admirable likeness. 1 also noticed the photographs of Mr and 31 rs Edwin Barnford, who resided in Blenheim some few years ago. Great Britain is, as usual, well represented in the machinery branch. The majority of the exhibits are agricultural implements. Victoria lias, however, robbed England of some of her own productions. With unparalled effrontery 3'ictoria has taken possession of two very fine locomotive engines of enormous size and power, and labelled them as made in "Victoria. The truth is that they were simply put together here on arrival ex steamer. I could relate various instances of the like nature. It is only of apiece with the usual manner of Victorians. Doubtless your readers have beard of the Austrian Strauss Band, now in 3lelbonrtic. A short time since they gave a performance in the Exhibition building, their second performance here. It was admitted by those who know anything about music that such a performance had never been heard in Australia before. It is not unreasonable to suppose so, because each of the performers is n picked man, and they have had the benefit of frequent practice together. Nevertheless, the Melbourne soft goods critics and hardware connoisseurs were dissatisfied and went off grumbling, saying, “ Wait till you hear the Australian band.” This band is a scratch company got together by 31. Caron, the composer of the Exhibition cantata. Every man can, of course, play fairly well. AN ell, then, af their first performance two pieces out of every three were encored, and the verdict of the critics and connoisseurs aforesaid was that in time the Austrian Strauss Band mhjht equal the Australian Band. But all this is nothing as compared to the hatred and envy of New South Wales displayed by 3 r ictoria. The Ar/ti gravely stated, the other day, that a week might profitably be spent in the Victorian Court, but that ail hour or two would suffice to examine the Courts of New South Wales and tiie other colonies ! The last scene of the Kelly drama is now finished. And now I have before me an essay on the phrenological character of Edward Kelly, by A. S.~Hamilton, Phrenologist ; a man not altogether unknown in Blenheim. As some of your readers may feel an interest in such matters I give his “ chart” of Ned Kelly’s headPrcseivitiveness 16, alimentiveness 18, adhesiveness 1(5, inhabit)’veness 10, continuity 10, cautiousness 14, combativeness 19, destructiveness 20, acquisitiveness 20, secretiveness IS, constructiveness 18, self-esteem 20, love of approbation 10, firmness 18, hope IS, veneration 17, benevolence 17, philoprogenitiveness 10, wonder 17, ideality 10, sublimity 10, conscientiousness 14, imitation IS, tune and time 17, individuality 10, form 17, size 10. weight 10, color 17, locality 20, number 17. order 17, eventuality 17, language 17, comparison 17, causality 13, wit 10, amativeness 10, marriage 10. It is understood that all organs under 18 are less than they should be in a well balanced head, and that all marked 20, especially when they belong to the animal nature, are very dangerous to society, unless they are balanced by a large moral and reflective development. Phrenologists range the relative proportion of the cerebral organs thus : —Very large 20, large 18, nearly large 10, feeble 14, very feeble 12, small 10, very small 8. A friend of mine who was in Court during the trial tells me that Kelly was quite unconcerned in appearance throughout ; save for a monentary frown ocasionally. Our detestable hot weather has commenced, On Thursday the thermo meter was 92 degree in the shade. V hat a boon would he some mats that are exhibited iu the Indian Court. They are exhibited by the Nizam of Hydererbad. The Kus-Kua mat, so it is called, is made of the fragrant roots of a grass, and is hung up in doors and windows during the hot season, and kept constantly wet. The current of air passing through the mat in this state is cooled and moistened, and carries with it unto the room the pleasant ; odour of the grass. I have said nothing i yet about the pictures.