82 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



Crystal Palace. 



The first New- York exhibition under the auspices of the Amer- 

 ican Institute was held in 1828, in the contracted space of the 

 Masonic Hall; that of 1856 occupies the building of the World's 

 Fair of 1853. 



The idea of filling the Crystal Palace with articles of domestic 

 manufacture, would two years ago have seemed, perhaps it did 

 seem when first suggested, almost preposterous. When we recol- 

 lect that fears were entertained, w^hether \]ie jjroducts of the 

 industry of all nations would be sent in sufiicient quantity to fill 

 up those vast floors, we can appreciate the boldness of the idea 

 which would seek such an area for the display of American fabrics.' 

 And yet this space is by no means a void. Where else could the 

 ample proportions of those steam engines find their appropriate 

 place ? or those products of the boatbuilder's skill, or those 

 exquisite fabrics from Lawrence, or those useful ones from Man- 

 chester ? Where else could those planing machines and turning 

 lathes, those atmospheric hammers, those machines for pumping 

 and draining, for transmitting power, for splitting woodj for dres- 

 sing stone, for warming, ventilating, cooking; in short, for all the 

 varied purposes of the arts and of life — be exhibited and in 

 action, with room and verge enough to pass around and between^ 

 to admire and to examine 1 Then, where else could the marriage 

 of the mechanic arts and the fine arts (that happy thought) have 

 found space for its celebration, but here 1 



Modern machines seem not only instinct with life, but to have 

 thought — so perfectly do they supply those movements which, 

 directed by law, are usually the results of thought and will. In 

 the old printing press, ink was applied to the types by hand by 

 huge stuffed leather balls ; the paper was cut to its size and placed 

 upon the press by hand, and by hand folded down upon the types 

 — other hands passed the whole under a screw or toggle-joint, 

 which, by an independent exercise of will, was brought down 

 upon the types; the paper was then released, removed and folded 

 — several hands directed by thought were thus at work. Now, 

 the paper is cut from the roll, and in some cases is actually manu- 

 factured from the rags, and jiresents itself to be cut, the types are 

 inked, the impressions made, all by mechanical power, one man 



