NAPOLEON DIORAMA.
A new diorama by Mr. Marshall opened on Monday at No. 69 Regent's Quadrant, purporting to be "illustrative of Events in the Lives of Napoleon, Nelson, and Wellington." In fact, however, the achievements of the Englishmen are merely ativilisry to the Corsican's-coming in as episodes in his life rather than incidents in their own. After a preliminary tableau of Napoleon and his Marshals-not particularly well painted or definite in portraiture-the series opens with the siege of Toulon, and follows the conqueror through his great battles and actions to his second grave in the chapel of the Invalides. There is more of movement, and military operation on a large scale, in this diorama than in that of the Wellington Campaigns, with which it comes to a certain extent into competition. Such scenes as the passage of the Alps, where great masses of troops are introduced in combination with imposing aspects of nature, are strikingly painted ; and the marine views generally are very good. There are also a variety of strew; sudden effects produced by mechanical means,-as in the passing of the bridge of Arcola, and the blowing-up of the French Admi- ral's ship at the battle of the Nile. For these qualities, and for the in- terest of its subject, the diorama is more than commonly attractive. The accompanying lecture might afford to be docked of the historical summary with which it opens : whose philosophy, oracularly delivered, does not extend beyond such very accurate but somewhat superfluous truths as thatthe French Revolution evoked "a great deal of real enthusiasm and a great deal of false enthusiasm-many very good men and many very bad men."
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