but she is not there now for the flag is not hoisted. Is it not a grand place! See how the people are walking about in the parks, and how pleased the little children seem that they can run on the green grass with their nursemaids. Now look at this last large house on the right with iron shutters to the windows-that is the Duke of Wellington's house; and here on the left, on the top of that archway, is a representation of him on horseback. There, that is Hyde Park on the right. See what crowds of people are walking across it down to yonder corner where the Crystal Palace is. You cannot see it yet, but it is down yonder. Look before you down this hill. Did you ever see such a crowd of 'busses, and cabs, and carriages of all kinds. One might wonder how they keep clear of each other. Now down here the road gets narrower, and look, all down the middle of the carriage road, about twenty yards off each other are policeman. What are they there for?-they will be run over! Oh no, they wont. They are set there to make all the drivers going down go one way, and all coming up come the other way. There, we are close to the palace now. I saw the glass top and the flags. But we must pull up here. Tell the driver to come for us just here at six o'clock this evening. Now we must keep altogether. What a

crowd! Hold fast Susan-you boys keep close together, and dont lose sight of us. But how are we to get over the road, the "'busses" are close together. Stop a bit, and you will see. Watch that policeman in the middle of the road. Here, look! he has spread out his arms as a signal to the drivers, and all the carriages have pulled up. they wont drive on now.

Be quick: dont be afraid,
Here we are, safe over.

This is the park gate; we enter, and there is the Glass Palace full before us. Let us look at its outside a minute or two. What a height, to be all glass and iron; and what a length; look down yonder, and now turn and look up here. We are in the middle; how long it would look if we were at one end.

Before I go any further I must give you an idea of the shape of the building, and what the different parts of it are called.

Let me explain it if I can. The part within the black lines forms the ground-work of the whole

East.

the parts within the dots form the avenues and transept, and they are open to the top, so that you can see all down them-the parts marked "gallery" are where the curiosities are exhibited, both on the ground floor and above in the galleries. That round O in the middle marks the position of the Crystal Fountain, just in the centre; and the T and T at each end of the transept, the position of the two elm trees. The galleries have openings in the centre of them to admit the light down into the show rooms on the floor beneath.

Visitors may go in at the east, or west, or south entrance, but not at the north, from which however they may go out as well as at the other entrances. There are several doors of admission at each entrance, but only one person can go in at a time, and he does so by pushing against a kind of turnstile, which turns round to admit him, and which I expect records, by that movement, every person that passes, and thus keeps the money-takers honest.

We are going in at the south entrance. Now we are all in. And what a scene! Look up the transept from south to north. Here is a fine elm tree spreading its green-leaved branches high over our heads, and at yonder end is one much larger, and yet both are covered by the long dome of glass

which spans the whole length like a vast arch. How the sunshine streams down upon the fountains and statues, and the moving masses of well-dressed people!

But come, let us pass on. Here is "China" on our right and "India" on our left. Why we are among the people of the other side of the world directly. And then there is "Turkey" and "Russia" before us. We cannot stop to examine what their hands have wrought and sent for us to look at now. Let us get into the centre of the building to yonder Crystal Fountain, which is sending out its clear waters from the branches of its graceful pedestal. See how they sparkle in the sunbeams like thousands of falling diamonds! Here is a pool at the foot of the pedestal to catch the falling waters. Where is our little tumbler glass? We must all drink.

Let us stand back and look at this glass fountain again, "whose waters, glittering in all the colours of the rainbow, bubble, and splash, and murmur, and dance, from highest spire and pinnacle and varied points, in one continued and delicious stream, into the transparent bath below, throwing an air of coolness all around that is quite enchanting. In the construction of this wonderful fountain, than which nothing can be more beautiful, there have been employed nearly four tons of crystal or flint-glass!"