SCENIC EXHIBITIONS.
SOME novelties have been introduced this Easter, in the several scenic exhibitions, which may be briefly noted. The Colosseum, in addition to its varied attractions of conservatories, caverns, waterfall, and Swiss cottage, and that perpetual wonder the stupendous panorama of London, exhibits a series of dissolving views of the Holy Land, by Mr. MARSHALL, the scene-painter of Drury Lane. Though not original, they are cleverly painted ; excepting the copies of pictures by the Old Masters, representing the Nativity, Crucifixion, &c., the figures in which are very indifferent, and the colouring is lost.
The Dissolving Views at the Polytechnic Institution include only six new ones ; but their force and brilliancy is much increased by some improvements in the apparatus. The Cosmorama reopened with a new set of views ; of which an interior of St. Paul's, with a dioramic effect of sunlight, is by far the most beautiful and perfect : this view is little inferior to the Dio- rama, though on a much smaller scale ; and shows what might bemade of this exhibition were artists of superior talent employed. The land- scape-scenes are evidently painted by a foreigner, whose style is un- suited to this class of subjects, even were his skill greater : the best of them is a moonlight view of Edinburgh, with the effect of a conflagra- tion.
The Diorama, with its Village of Alagna overwhelmed by an ava- lanche, and the Shrine of the Nativity, is still without a rival in power of illusion.
The Panorama of Waterloo, St. Jean d'Acre, and Jerusalem, in Leicester Square, are not the least attractive of the scenic exhibitions.
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