THE GREAT EXHIBITION.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 623, 3 April 1852, Page 3

THE GREAT EXHIBITION.

Extracts from the "Lrr/v and the Beh, AN ArOTiDfiUR 01? THE CRYSTAL PALACE," by Samuel War vcn. Till? GATHERING 01? THE NATIONS. Four thousand years ago, said the Voice, the whole family of man was gathered together on the plain of Sliinar. They spoke often, in one langungo, of tho awful Deluge which had happened but a centuiy before ; and pointed out, one to another, tho traces of it still everywhere visible, i'luese who liaJ hwnin tho Ark, would stait from their sleep, as in dreams thoy heaid the roar of

There was standing without the Crystal Palace in a pauper dress, a grey-haired harmless idiot, gazing 1 at the vast structure, vacantly. Gently arresting me as I passed, lie pointed with eager, gleeful, mystery, uttering incoherent sounds, to the door which he was not permitted to enter. Poor soul! said The Voice, mournfully, tills banquet is not spread for ilice ! I left him without, jibbering to a pitying sentinel, and entered with a spirit saddened.

into the ground, cursed for his sake : the dread sentence echoing in his ears, Dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return ! 0 spirit, convey me, awJllo, from this scene of mystery, this so restless sea gf my fellow-beings — let me alone, apait, meditate humbly, reverently. Sixty centuries are sweeping past me. Their sound is in my ear, their dread is on my soul. The air — the dust — is instinct with life, the life of man, speaking to the soul of all the hopes, and fears, and agonies, delights and woes, and cares that have agitated the countless millions, my fellows, descended from our fallen Father, the First Adam, and like him returned to the dust : whither I, and all his sons, my brethren, strangers! and sojourners ! as all our fathcis were ! are journeying fast. 0 spare mo a little, before I go hence, and be no more seen ! — I faintly breathe an air, spiritual and rare ; mind all around diffused ; man rises before me, everywhere, man ! in his manifestation and misfortune, multiform ; mysterious in his doings and his destiny — Yes, I, poor being, trembling and amazed, am also man ; part of that mighty unity ; one, but one ! still one ; of that vast family to whom belongs the earth ; still holding, albeit unworthily, our charter of lordship. Tremble, child of the dust ! remembering from Whom came that Charter, well-nigh forfeited. Tremble ! stand in awe ! yet hope ; for He knoweth thy frame ; He remembereth that thou art but dust ; and, like as a father piticth his own children, even &o is merciful unto them that fear Mm. Return, with lightened heart, with cheerful look, said The Voice, benignantly, and read a scroll, suddenly unrolled, of the doings of thy race upon the earth. Again within the Nave all bright ! all beautiful ! — Hail ! Welcome ! brethren, sisters all ! Come hither trustfully, from every land and clime ! All hail ! ye loveliest ! bravest ! wisest ! best ! Of every degree ! complexion ! speech ! One and the self-same blood in all our veins ! Our hearts, fashioned alike ! Alike feeling, loving, admiring : with the same senses and faculties perceiving and judging what the same energies have produced ! Stay ! Has my ear, suddenly quickened, penetrated to the primeval language, through all its variations, since the scattering and confusion of Shinar ! 0 rare unity in multiplicity, uniformity, in endless variety. Yonder comes The Queen ! «• •;•• * * * # A unit unperccived, I sink into the living stream again ! — Nave, transept, aisles and galleries, pacing untirod : insatiate ! — Amazing spectacle ! Touchstone of character! capacity ! and knowledge ! Spectable, now lost in the Spectators : then spectators, in the spectacle ! Rich : poor : gentle : simple : wise : foolish : young : old : learned : ignorant : thoughtful : thoughtle&s : haughty : humble : frivolous : profound : Every grade of intellect : every shade of character ! Here is a voluble smatterer : suddenly discomfited by the chance question of a curious child : and rather than own ignorance, will tell him falsely. There a bustling piece of earth : one of the earth, earthy; testing everything by money value. Here is a stale bundle of prejudices, hard bound together : to whom everything here is topsy-turvy, and di&coloured, seen through jaundiced eyes. There is one suddenly startled by a suspicion that he knows scarcely anything. Here is one listening, with seeming lively interest, and assenting gestures, to a scientific explanation, of which lie compreheuds nothing ; but appearances must be kept up. There is one falsely flunking himself the observed of observers ; trying to look unconscious, and distinguished. liens is one that will not sec a timid poor relation, or an humble friend ; as fashionable folk are near. Yonder is a statesman : gliding about alone : watchful : thougl^tful : cautions : pondering national characters : habits : capabilities : localities : wants : superfluities : rival systems of policy, their fruits and workings : imagining new combinations : Speculating on remote consequences. Is here one abhorring England and her Institutions, hoping he sees her approaching downfall, their subversion ? Yonder walks one who has committed or is meditating great crime ; and hoping that his heavy eye may here be attracted, and his mind dazzled into a moment's forgetfulness ; but it is in vain. There is a philosopher, to whose attuasd ear the Spectacle speaks myriad-tongucd : telling of patient sagacity : long ioiled at length — or suddenly — triumphant : of centuries of misdirected, abortive toil : of pain, suffering, privation : of one sowing what another shall reap. Here is a philanthropist — thinking of bloodstained slavery. Of millions, dealt with as though they were the very beasts that perish : bought : sold : scourged : slain : as if their Maker had not seen them, nor heard their groans, nor treasured their tears : nor set them down against the appointed Reckoning. Here is one, little thinking that he will suddenly fall dead to-morrow ; having much on hand, both of business and pleasure. There is one tottering under the weight of ninety years : to whom the grasshopper is a burden Cleaning on the arms of dutiful and lusty youth : gazing with glazed eye : silent with wise wonder. Here sits a laughing child upon a gleaming camion. Yonder is a blind man, sightless amidst surrounding splendours : but there is one tolling him tendcvlj' that he stands beside the statue of Milton. There, in the glistening centre of the transept stands an aged exile : venerable : widowed : once a Queen : looking at the tranquil image of Queen Victoria : meditating, with a sigh, on the happy security of her throne. Yonder is a musing poet : gazing silently Eastward — Westward — Northward — Southward : above — below : everywhere pouring a living tide of wonder nor silent nor noisy a strange hum — a radiant Hood of light many-hued objects, now glittering brightly then glistening fainter and fainter, till lost in distance : whence come faintly the strains of rich music intermingling mysteriously with the gentle hum around him — Gliding about, forms of exquisite beauty, most delicate loveliness — living, eclipsing the sculptured beauty, at which it is looking, with blushing consciousness yonder, a fair daughter of Eve, before the Mother of all living : her shuddering eye glancing at the serpent, her ear catching the deadly whisper Far away, in shape and gesture proudly eminent, Satan as it were showing all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, in a moment of time. There they are ! Great Nations, new and old, with their bright banners streaming : helm : lance : sabre — scimitar See there, solemnly silent all Crusaders the crashing of a mailed throng soundless banners the Crescent Cross fierco-gl earning Saracej>— Saladin Coeur-de-Lion glorious. Dc Bouillon * * * A dim religious light Dante Tasso Milton Shakspeare there They are ! Could they see but this-jr— or he, with eyes like theirs bestirred with thoughts like [ tlu-irs- — ah, sinking deeper still in leverie — 1 dreamy — delicious ! * * * still the hum — ■ the dazzle Gifted on — "-Up Laureate ! Wake ! Ay — it is no dream but radiant reality — Up, Laureate, with thy lyve, and luptuiously sweep its thrilling Strings ! Give forth grand strains, echoing through all time to come, surpassing J'indar's, ite thine his Thorne tra:. '"eudeth far