nd the legislative
history of 1851 terminated.

[Illustration: 802.jpg GREAT EXHIBITION]

EXHIBITION OF THE INDUSTRY OF ALL NATIONS.

Among the home incidents of the year none excited more general interest
than "the Great Exhibition of the Industry of all Nations," which
was opened on the 1st of May. During 1850 public expectation had been
intensely directed to it. The patronage of the queen, and the active
assistance as well as patronage of her consort, threw a halo of
respectability and popularity around the undertaking. The design was
to erect a large temporary building, into which might be brought, in an
honourable and peaceful rivalry, specimens of the manufacture and art of
all nations. The site selected for the building was Hyde Park, near the
Prince's Gate. Mr. Paxton (afterwards Sir Joseph Paxton), gardener to
the Duke of Devonshire, devised a plan for erecting the building of
glass--a bold and novel scheme, which resulted in a structure elegant
and useful. Mr. Fox (afterwards Sir Charles) was the principal
contractor. All concerned worked with zeal and skill, and their task was
brought to a satisfactory termination. The building was a parallelogram,
1,848 feet long by 408 feet wide. The distribution of the articles
sent for exhibition was upon the principle of giving to each country
a separate compartment in the building, with the exception that all
working machinery was placed together at the north-west end. It would
require a volume to describe the wonderful variety and beauty of the
productions of skill and labour brought together in this Crystal Palace
of industry; nothing equal to it for curious and instructive interest
had ever before been realized. On the 1st of May this fairy fabric was
opened with all the circumstances of pomp which royalty and multitudes
of persons gathered from many nations could present. There were arrivals
from almost every nation; and from Europe and America the numbers were
so great that the vast area of London seemed thronged day by day, and
almost night by night, with crowds. The various national physiognomies
and costumes gave a picturesque effect to the streets and parks, and
especially to the interior and neighbourhood of the building for
the Exhibition on the opening day. Everything connected with its
inauguration was auspicious, and public order was preserved in a
wonderful manner; all men from all nations and peoples seemed earnest to
maintain the harmony and de