THE EXPOSITION SURPLUS.
" WHAM shall be done with the surplus of the Crystal Palace ? " is a question now agitated in such a manner as to promise a clear and pleasant reply from all concerned, public and public officers. About the main facts there can be no doubt: there will be great money means ; and there is a general concurrence in the desire to perpetuate the beautiful structure as a winter garden and spacious forum of the Arts. From Richard Steele, whose suggestion we will boast of first applying to this edifice, down to the last pamphlet, by the designer himself, all fall in with that idea. On no public question is there such unanimity. Lord. John Russell has said, in Parlia- ment, that as a Commissioner he is bound to see that the Crystal Palace be removed, but that as a Minister he has not thought about it: he implies that he wants to be squeezed, and the Times exhorts the public to squeeze him.
Meanwhile, there are sketches of plans already before the public. In a pamphlet published by Mr. Murray, "Denarius " replies affirmatively to the question of his title, "Shall we keep the Crys- tal Palace, and have riding and walking in all weathers, among flowers, fountains, and sculpture ? " His statistics must ne- cessarily be subject to revision, but they do illustrate the practicability of a scheme for making the winter garden
self-supporting, with a moderate charge of admission. Jo- seph Paxton's pamphlet, "What is to become of the Crystal Palace ?" just published by Messrs. Bradbury and Evans will at- tract more attention, though it is only the preface of another to supply the details. Paxton will improve the building—notably by taking down all the boarding ; and he avers, what we well be- lieve, that it will not cost much. Meanwhile, people will be only too anxious to see the thing that he promises,—a palace all of crys- tal, and thus disposed within.
"In this winter park and garden, the trees and plants might be so arranged as to give great diversity of views and picturesque effect. Spaces might be set apart for equestrian exercise and for carriage drives ; but the main body of the building should be arranged with the view of giving great extent and variety for those who promenade on foot. Fountains, statuary, and every description of park and garden ornament, would greatly heighten the effect and beauty of the scene.
"Beautiful creeping plants might be planted against the columns, and hailed along the girders, so as to give shade in summer ; while the effect they would produce by festooning in every diversity of form over the build- ing, would give the whole a most enchanting and gorgeous finish.
"Besides these, there might be introduced a collection of living birds from all temperate climates ; and the science of geology, so eloselyconnected with the study of plants, might be illustrated on a large and natural scale ; thus making practical botany, ornithology, and geology, familiar to every visitor."
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