of the Fair, without a word of tribute to Strick
land Kneass, Esq., the distinguished civil en
gineer, to whom we owe the plan of the build
ings, and to the wonderful energy and system
which has characterized the operations of Mr.
Shedaker, the superintendent of their erection.
To these gentlemen, we owe it that the intense
desire which, a little more than a month ago,
existed only as a fond dream in the imagina
tion of the founders of the enterprize, that the
demonstration to be made in Philadelphia for
the relief of the soldier should be presented in
a building of grand proportions and imposing
architectural effect, has to-day become a noble
reality.
THE HEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT.
[For Our Dally Fare.]
My Dear Mr, Editor: Though you do sny
That “]>octry” coin' s by the ton every day,
Ami though you return a most chilling reply
To each fledgling who offers his pinious to try,
Yet 1 beg you will soften your rigorous laws,
And admit me this once. , for the sake of my cause.
While varying plaudits all round us are rung,
Why should not the claims of New Jersey be sung?
For some of her people, at least, have proved truo,
And wreathed with fresh laurels the old “Jersey Bine.”
See how richly she piles up her offerings to-day 1
Let me act cicerone, and show you the way,
And first, as we enter, she offers you here
A tempting array of ino*t excellent cheer;
And, let me assure you, her strawberry cream
Might furnish the stuff for an epicure’s dream.
But the dishes stand empty, just now to our view,
With buyer and seller alike looking blue—
So bear your privation as well as you're able,
And cross with me o’er to the opposite table.
And here what a wealth of attractions will meet yon!
Bright wiires on the stalls, and bright faces to greet you.
Examine this worked hack ami scat for a chair —
Did you ever see work that with that could compare?
And this wax fruit, some say, is the best in the Fair.
Pass on, now, by many a tempting display;
But linger a moment, “if linger you may,”
To look at these relics in curious array.
Here’s a Bible, I think, of Fifteen fifty-three,
With a singular text, as you'll presently see—
Curiosities, too, of all kinds by the score;
You must come in again, this recess to explore.
But now, look at those banners and flags as they fall
In heavy festooning, from ceiling and wall;
Do you see how the hunting is shredded and worn,
By gunpowder blackened, by rifle-ball torn?
Do you guess what may mean those dark stains that they
bear ?
Do you think on the bravo blood poured over them there?
llow, as man after man was cut down at his stand,
The colors were snatched from his quivering hand,
And a comrade stood ready, fiis life-blood to yield
Before those loved colors should trail on the field?—
For they pressed through walled bayonets, glittering
bright
Who planted the standard on Wagnor that night.
******
You arc weary of walking? Well, as you’re a man,
You can go in and rest in the Turkish Divan
Whoro it’s cool and refreshing; but, if you were not
You'd accept, comme de coutume your womanly lot;
And if your tired limbs threatened e’er to give way
After walking, or standing at tables all day
You would brace them with thoughts of the cause that’s
in view,
And trust your brave spirit to carry you through.
OUB ID_A_ TTiir Fabe.
So good-bye for the present, but do not forget
That New Jersey has treasures to offer you yet;
And when you give in your report of the Fair
Pray see that her claims have their merited share;
For you’d search every State of the Union through
For aloyaller type than the “old Jersey Blue.”
P. M. C.
June loth, 1804.
RECOLLECTIONS OF THE METROPOLITAN
FAIR.
BY A WOI NDKI) SOLDIKR.
I have not noticed many very meritorious
actors; neither have 1 recorded some incidents
not creditable to the good breeding of some
wlio were connected with our dramatic enter
prise. Itisenoughto say that it was a “success”,
affording brilliant proof of the talent which lies
perdu in so many people, hut which, like
every other talent, must he cultivated and
trained.
I have not mentioned that the play of the
“Buzzards” was made excellent by a son and
daughter of our excellent President and com
manding General. A name which is a syno
nym of talent, worth and wit, need I he afraid
to say Dix ? Particularly not as the lady no
longer hears it.
The kindness and talent of a lady who took
the role of “ Sally,” in the “Buzzards,” mak
ing it inexpressibly funny, must also be
noticed.
Put in a foot-note, as it were, that these parts,
and the “Prologue,” spoken first and mentioned
last, were not by any means last, in the praises
of the audience. After all, I don’t know but
those who did’nt play had the greatest suc
cess! If a man, how easy seems to you the
role of “Claude Mclnotte,” how delicately,
how fervently would you make love! —how
manly your bearing, how becoming your
blouse! If a woman, how you would play
Lady Teazle! what no end of a brocade you
would have! and those brocades which are
never made, are always so becoming! How
well you would have played that delicious part
in which Sheridan has so ably shadowed forth
the woman of to-day. llow, when you were
through, would the sweet words “you have
made a success,” be spoken by the voice most
potent to praise! Is there any way in which a
man or woman can invest talent, grace or
beauty to better advantage than by “ acting
well his part ? or hers ? ”
And yet how full of disappointment might
the reality have been! At best, an amateur
audience is a cold thing. The claqueur must
he warned beforehand in order to start even
uncontrollable enthusiasm, therefore let those
who did not act console themselves w T ith ec
static visions of audiences never cold, of
blouses and brocades never unbecoming, of
friends never false, and of a hidden dramatic
talent to which that of Garrick or Rachel was
but the dancing of th chorus before Taglioni
appeared !
The Dramatic Committee are under great,
obligation to Mr. Jerome. .Ilis exquisite
theatre was always lighted and at their dispo
sition, for rehearsals as well as performances.
His generosity was equal to any demand
upon it.
Mr. W. 11. L. Graham was exceedingly use
ful in arranging the orchestra, and, in every
department as actor or as committee man, ac
quitted himself most creditably.
To Mr. Lester Wallack, the gratitude of the
Committee is more easily felt than described,
and in fact, to every one of the gentlemen and
ladies who composed this Committee, I do
not doubt that the two heads who had assumed
this great responsibility, felt the greatest grati
tude. They were never tired of expressing
their sense of their good fortune in having
culled from the vast circles of New York, four
teen such agreeable, faithful and intelligent
co-workers. It will always be one of the most
brilliant memories of the Fair—the history,
rise and culmination of the “ Dramatic Com-
Anon.
mittee.”
REFLECTIONS,
[Outlie Geological Formation of Pennsylvania, siiiii>ose<l
to be by Sir Charles I, yell.]
As my illustrious Prince lias seen fit to con
tribute a moving poem to the worthy Sanitary
Fair, of Philadelphia, I think it a not ignoble
use of my pen to furnish a few “reflections” to
the same. My travels in the Keystone State a
few years since have enlightened me on certain
subjects of which my oountrymen are ignorant.
For instance, I learned, to my surprise, that
Philadelphia is not in the State of Harrisburg,
nor Pennsylvania a small town on the Hudson.
I learned that all Northerners are not stump
speakers, nor all women of the two classes ex
clusively cultivated by Mr. Martin Chuzzlewit,
i. e. Mrs. Jefferson Brick, and the Strong-
Minded Woman. On the contrary, though
there are not, as with Englishmen, many hun
dred thousand descended from as many dis
tinct ancestors, who were, each one, the most
distinguished warrior at the battle of Hastings,
still there are some who play the role of ladies,
and, as I hear, men are even nurses and Sama
ritans.
That there was anything for an Englishman
to learn was of course unexpected, blit I en
deavored to accommodate myself to the un
precedented circumstance, and felt that I was
rewarded. I have been still further enlightened
since I returned to England, and the present
attitude of the American people causes me to
refer to my notes and readjust my mind to
new conclusions. While at Mauch Chunk and
Pittsburg, I could hardly help referring the
grimy appearance of nature, animate and in
animate to the smutty character of American
partisan politics, but I have come to hope that
the dark reproach is beginning to be removed,