*

gesticulation, "that the Emperor of the French was a snake in the grass, who leaped like a hound at the throat of freedom." The genuine Irish bull or blunder has much decayed, which is matter for regret, inasmuch as the bull proper exciteth laughter, and the mixed metaphors only move derision. No one has for years threatened to "die on the floor of the House, and then go and tell his constituents" any thing. Violent action, also much affected by some parliamentary orators, is another cause of unmitigated pain and sorrow to your Petitioner. It would seem that, because one Demosthenes said that oratory consisted in three things-action, action, action,-therefore some modern debaters thump the green table of the House, or the red box upon it, with alarming vehemence, and even, in their excessive zeal and animation, knock off the hats of their neighbours, to the detriment of the article and the inconvenience of the wearer. It is deemed very effective, and, indeed, an element of the sublime in action, for members of the Opposition to significantly, aye, almost menacingly, to point their fingers (one extended beyond the other) in the faces of the members of the Cabinet on the Treasury bench. Moreover, it is deemed expedient to lean across the table, and, hanging there in that picturesque posture, to grin, as though agitated by uncontrollable fits of derision, in the very teeth of the Government; to walk up to the table and back to the bench; to look sometimes towards the speaker's and sometimes towards the reporters' gallery; to be occasionally taken up as it were by a whirlwind of passion, and to stand on tip-toe, some inches beyond the natural height, and then to swoop down with such sudden violence as well nigh to strike the fist upon the floor of the House. Then it is important to put the hands into the trousers and coat pockets, trousers and waistcoat ditto, gracefully varying this manoeuvre-sometimes throwing them out as it were in supplication, at others, in imitation of the attitude adopted by St. Paul in Raphael's well-known picture of his preaching at Athens. All these choice bits of gesticulation having been felicitously used, has occasioned the facete saying, that some of the speakers are "seen as well as heard." Some effect may be produced by good by-play, even when a member is not speaking; and there occurred the other night, upon the Treasury bench, a shrug of the shoulders of so expressive and potent a character, that it is confidently believed to have dispirited the Opposition and seriously influenced the division of the night.

But finally, your humble Petitioner most emphatically and earnestly deprecates and protests against the revival of what may be called "theological shindies." Of course it is only natural that some members should love and revere the Pope of Rome, because he has always been so wise and good a ruler, under whose beneficent supervision his people have been industrious, contented, happy, honest, and peaceful, and because he is the Head of a Church which has in all ages produced peace on earth

*This has more than once happened in the House of Commons.

and good-will among men. It is moreover no matter of surprise that the career and character of that deserving but ill-treated monarch the exKing of Naples should merit the admiration and applause of English legislators; because it is so well known, despite slanders to the contrary, that he was quite the model king, the true shepherd of his people, and that under the benign influences of his protecting sceptre constitutional liberty and personal freedom and intellectual independence flourished, and that literature and all the arts and sciences knew his royal and fostering care; that at his approach the prison-door sprang open, and the captive went out for ever free.

On the other hand, your Petitioner has been struck by the monstrous perversity with which other members insist upon attempting to destroy the temporal power of the great Pontiff, and personally to convert him to Protestantism by cart-loads of effective tracts, as also by the pertinacity with which some persist in reviling the good and wise deposed Neapolitan monarch. That such great differences should exist your Petitioner sees to be very probable and according to the nature of things; but he again protests against the introduction of such topics as must necessarily involve polemical discussions on things sacred and divine. From all other debating societies are theological questions excludedwhy not, according to your Petitioner's view, from the House of Commons?

Much meditating on these and some minor matters,—such as why members should sit with their hats on under a warm and comfortable roof-why members should be continually bowing gracefully and ungracefully to the Mace-and why there should be so much gendarmerie at the door, where policemen wantonly push you first one way and then another as seems best to them,-your Petitioner will continue to carefully observe, and to industriously report; and, much relieved by having stated his grievance,

Your Petitioner will ever pray, &c. &c.

Taste at South Kensington.

THE International Exhibition is an epitome of the civilised world. It might have been more judiciously planned in its details, but, taking it altogether, it has the faults and excellencies of the world it represents. On the one hand, it shows untiring industry, wonderful mechanical skill, intellectual luxury; on the other, a want of taste and of single purpose.

The first question that strikes us as we walk through this costly collection of the industry of mankind is, what are its prospects? Many ingenious calculations were put forth before the Exhibition was opened, and we were told on official authority how many bricks would be used in its construction, and how many miles of galleries it contained; but we were not told exactly how many visitors it would hold, and whether, if filled each day to repletion, it would pay its expenses. The result has shown that, doubtless in consequence of bad arrangement, the building has nothing like the space of the former, and that the largest number that has visited it in one day represents the average that would constitute a mere success hence various expedients, that cannot be too strongly reprobated, -the high rents charged to contractors, that have made it almost impossible for them to fulfil the expectations raised by the official programme, and the absurd tax on umbrellas and parasols, which, in the case of the latter, as they are necessary in the body of the building, is nothing less than laying a trap at the entrance of the picture-galleries, or charging one-sixth more for the entertainment than the advertisements set forth. Formerly, at a place of amusement near the Regent's Park, the same trick was more ingeniously performed. It contained a harmless-looking and pleasant little sitting-room, to which the visitor, tired of the conflicts of sea-lions in the great microscope, and of the wonders of dissolving views, was very apt to turn for a few minutes' rest. As soon as half a dozen victims were collected, the room began to move, and to their horror the inmates perceived that they were being carried upwards in their cage. After a time it stopped, and the voyagers had the satisfaction of seeing Paris by moonlight, and afterwards of being released on the moderate payment of sixpence, very thankful, if country clergymen or nervous ladies, at having ended their aërial journey. But, seriously, we regret to see the Commissioners adopting expedients for replenishing their treasury which can never do any thing more than discredit the undertaking. The enterprise is so grand that we should deeply regret its failure, especially as, in that event, another attempt is not likely to be made. We would suggest that the building might be opened at half-past eight or nine on the shilling days, and at present kept open till half-past seven or even eight, if this could be done without a fresh arrangement being made with the exhibitors, who really need not cover up their goods before

the time. At all events, it is most unwise to imitate the plan of the South Kensington entertainments, and frighten out the visitors by a hideous tolling of the great bell, continued for a full half-hour of the time for which they have paid. If any one hurries to the Exhibition for an hour's study, he does not expect to have his mind distracted for half his visit by this horrid din, and the urgent barkings of policemen, who dog the heels of the public, as though they were a flock of sheep, before they have any right to turn the public out.

Another question forces itself upon us as we see the well-bred loungers treating the place as a promenade, and the hot, tired holiday-makers stumbling about, rejoiced when their large watches show that the hour for discussing the equally warm sandwiches has arrived, and still more when only half an hour remains of the time that must be given to the wearisome duty. What do these people come for? We can quite understand that those who are directly interested in the manufacture and sale of such objects as they see exhibited come with a purpose. You see such people engrossed in the contemplation of the most uninteresting grates and fenders. But the great majority are rather hazy in their intentions. Our advice would be, to avoid the national mistake of killing the lion thoroughly. Instead of fagging through the building as if you would be executed if you had not stared at every specimen of cast iron, do not look at any thing that does not interest you; and in this way you will really see very much more than if you had imagined you had seen every thing.

We think that it cannot be disputed that the Exhibition is interesting to intelligent visitors mainly on two accounts, as showing the progress of taste and the progress of industry; and we would advise our readers to go through it with one of these two ideas in their minds, if they would really gain any information beyond the dinner small-talk which has augmented the general dullness of the season.

Taste is one of those faculties that are innate and defy education. Some nations have good taste, and scarcely ever make a mistake in form or colour, others as uniformly fail. Rules and principles are apt to narrow the judgment by a kind of mathematical system, and nature can generally be cited in favour of a multitude of things which they condemn. Perhaps experiment is the safest guide, with the adoption of such general principles as are self-evidently true. Though taste is as much concerned with the industrial as with the art section of the Exhibition, the latter does not show the eleven years' progress, so that we may first speak of taste in industry alone.

Looking at the British side of the building as a whole, the first thought is that our taste is far behind that of the foreigners. The atrocious pyramid or obelisk, like a memorial to Midas, is the very first thing you run against on entering this division. The lighthouse and telescope are not remarkable for beauty of form or colour. The whole appears incongruous,

and many of the chief objects would have been much better among the machinery in the annexes. The foreign division looks all elegance and symmetry, and the eye rests upon the chief points with satisfaction. But a closer examination shows that this difference is partly due to the want of a general systematic arrangement on our side, and to the contrary on the other. There are foreign objects quite, or nearly, as unsightly as our worst trophies, but they are judiciously put in the background. Each principal foreign section is arranged with great judgment, and from its character was capable of a more advantageous grouping than was ours. We exhibit comparatively every thing, the foreigners in general only a selection; or, if all their productions and manufactures, upon a very much smaller scale. In a small exhibition, it is of course possible to show a few remarkable objects, around which the rest may be arranged; and this has evidently been the intention of the commissioners of some of the foreign states. The only section which can be fairly compared with our own is the French; and there is this advantage on the foreign side, that the French court contains an eclectic exhibition, yet, considering its size, no unprejudiced person can fail to admire its beautiful order, and the taste that is seen in every part of it. formidable rivals.

It is here, and here only, that we meet

The task of comparing the different portions of the Exhibition, taking each country's share as a whole, is difficult enough; but this mode has the advantage that it admits of our seizing upon the salient points, and not going into a minute comparison. But when we take upon ourselves to criticise a particular section of the whole Exhibition, the task of comparing the portions shown by each country is very hard. From the English to the Austrian glass is a long space when you wish to compare the two, and their essential dissimilarity makes the comparison still more difficult. The only possibility of arriving at a fair judgment is first to refer every thing to a standard of good taste before attempting any comparison between objects often as different as any two of the same class can be.

Pottery, including porcelain, may be taken as the first class for examination, from its great variety, the scope it affords for the exercise of artistic skill, and the progress it has lately made. The largest number of Greek designs of any size,-for we do not forget those of the coins,— are found on the beautiful vases miscalled Etruscan. Some of the most vigorous drawings of the Italian masters adorn the Majolica ware of the sixteenth century. The most pleasing ornaments of our rooms are the choice works of later times, the elegant Sèvres, the severe Wedgwood, or the grotesque porcelain of China. Here is almost every kind, though the works of antiquity, medieval Italy, and the East are represented by imitations of our own days, and it is therefore scarcely possible to compare the special works of our times with these famous predecessors. This is, however, of little consequence, as the style of all our pottery that is really good is altogether different from the earlier kinds, so that