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admirable studies from nature, drawn to perfection in coloured chalks, by Mulready; sketches in Turkey, of a very flimsy nature, by Sir David Wilkie; graceful and delicate compositions, by Flaxman and Stothard, by the former of whom also a few bold pen and ink drawings from the life, belonging to the Royal Academy, deserve especial record. A great number also of sketches made abroad in Egypt and Asia Minor by Müller were of an excellence and interest that claimed far better treatment than they received in the dark position assigned to them near the ground on the screens, since they afforded far more truthful records than either Wilkie's vague hints or the pretending, overloaded and opaque scenes, by the chevalier Hildebrandt taken in similar regions.

The course from these galleries led through the Indian court, which although limited in comparison with the corresponding Department of the Hyde Park Exhibition, excited great admiration, and seems on the whole to have been as generally popular with the manufacturing classes, as any other portion of the treasures amassed for their gratification. The tent in the centre of the room contained superb specimens of furniture, bolsters, saddles, chess-tables, embroideries, turbans, horse-trappings and various kinds of Damascened armour. In cases around the tent were magnificent examples of Turkish arms, pipes, stools and boxes, chiefly contributed by Her Majesty the Queen and the East India Museum. Chinese work, ivory carvings and highly wrought bowls, together with the most beautifully patterned Indian shawls, were sure in themselves alone to elicit admiration; but many objects in the general museum which occupied the remaining available extent of the great nave, required the adventitious aid of labelling and historic explanation, all of which was effected and most admirably arranged, by Mr. J. B. Waring. In the central nave, the necessity of some general classification became at once evident, and the system adopted by Mr. Waring in this respect was certainly one by which the progress of those who desired to study and examine was very materially facilitated. Gold and silver, glass-work and enamels, book-binding and all other leading branches were kept perfectly distinct. They were arranged in very large cases, and the visitors were thus enabled not only to regulate their ideas and institute comparisons, but the system was of the greatest advantage to those persons who were desirous of finding out any particular object.

Among so many objects of such general interest and so varied a nature,

it may become a matter of some difficulty to recapitulate even a few of the most noteworthy objects or principal curiosities. Those however of chief importance and rarity, as they now pass through my mind, were the fine specimens of Venetian glass, contributed by the Duke of Buccleuch, Mr. Felix Slade and the late Mr. Nicholson; the Saxon lantern from the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford; the famous enamelled cup, from the Corporation of Lynn; the beautiful croziers of William of Wykeham and Bishop Fox; the clock which Henry VIII. presented to Anne Boleyn, contributed by Her Majesty, together with the magnificent shield by Benvenuto Cellini, which occupied an isolated case towards the transept. The silvergilt-mounted Nautilus cup, from Windsor Castle, was also a great celebrity. A superb collection of oriental metal work, both in brass and latten, belonging principally to Mr. Rohde Hawkins, and* Mr. E. Falkener, filled one large case, whilst in another of similar size were assembled some of the finest examples of oriental armour, in weapons, trappings and accoutrements.

On

In these respects indeed the vast contributions of Colonel Meyrick, from Goodrich Court, stood pre-eminent. The universally known volumes relating to ancient armour, by Sir Samuel Meyrick, the colonel's ancestor, illustrative of the collection he had formed, were always regarded as the chief authority on such matters in this country. The book has been copied and recopied, referred to and quoted from without end, but the original materials, the armour itself, at Goodrich Court, could only be seen by a very considerable effort, and inevitably at very great expense. this occasion Colonel Meyrick generously rendered it completely accessible. The finest part of his collection, through the admirable management of Mr. Deane, was successfully transferred to the Art Treasures' Exhibition at Manchester, where it was advantageously arranged, and most instructively described by the distinguished authority on these matters, Mr. J. R. Planché, of the Herald's College. In addition to these complete suits of armour, contributed by Colonel Meyrick, a large selection of the choicest specimens were sent by government from the Tower of London, by which means a truly unparalleled series of examples was collected. The Earl of Warwick contributed the earliest helmet, Mr. James, of Aylesbury, an extensive collection of spurs, whilst many other important examples were

See the woodcut contributed through the kindness of Messrs. Day.

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SILVER FILIGREE RELIQUARY.

FROM THE ART TREASURES OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. Edited by J B. Waring. Architect.

Sa'd to have been dug up in the foundations of St. Paul's, London. Ec: Lging to Lord Eastings.

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TURKISH ENAMELLED COPPER EWER AND BASIN. Purchased by Mr Edward Falkener, the former at Smyrna, the latter at Constantinople.

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