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    Che %xh.

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    casseinieres , eashmerettes , alpacas , mohairs , &c . The Scotch tartan manufactures of Glasgow , Hawick , and Galashiels muster in strong force , and their display is very magnificent ; but Paisley has but a single exponent of its noted shawls , and the entire Principality of Wales can find but one exhibitor of the national flannel , Messrs . Wall and Son , of Welshpool . Witney , with its blankets , has also but one exhibitor . Merely to give a list of the English special fabrics totally unrepresented at the Exposition would be no easy matter ; but none who are acquainted with the trade can fail to miss the splendid " patent double cloths" of Messrs . Darnell and Wilkins , which elicited the warm commendations of the Jury at the Great Exhibition of 1851 . . . The important difference between the home and continental trade lies in the facilities enjoyed by the English manufacturers for obtaining the best wool , both of home growth and Australian , * and in the careful and expen-< = i ™ ni-nr- ^ ssps hv which the Yorkshire and West of England manufacturers

    finish their unrivalled broadcloths . The Report of the Jury , at the ( xreat Exhibition of 1851 states that , " In England a new era for this trade may be said to have commenced , in the year 1824 , by the introduction of what is called the roll-boiling process , which produces a permanent lustreon the face of the cloth , that neither spot by rain nor is removed by damp . ± nis process was invented by Messrs . Daniell and Wilkius , and consisted in rolling the cloth upon a roller and immersing it for hours in scalding water . The continental processes are cheaper , and consequently not so durable and s £ 2 > i > is £ icfiOi * v From Verviers , the seat of the Belgian manufacture , some very fine satin cloths are exhibited . Brussels sends some good crinoline , plaid £ trouserings , and flannels . De Keyser , of Brussels , has some excellent imitations ot Irish , frieze , quite equal to the original , and also a fabric of finer texture

    called friseile . . Spam , the aboriginal habitat of the Merino sheep , and which at . one time had almost a monopoly in the supply of wools to all parts of Europe , now ranks very low in that respect ; for , except in Spain itself , Spanish-grown wool is only used for spinning the very lowest quality of yarn . This can only be accounted for by the quality of the herbage having deteriorated in Spain in proportion as it has become better in other countries . Dr . TJre , referring to this point , says—" The ardent sun of Spain renders the fleece of the Mermo breed harsher than in the milder climate of Saxony . " The Spanish collection in the Exposition contains some very good satin cloths , coloured flannels , and zephyrs from Tarrasa ; paf £ ns and beavers from Sabafrom Barcelona

    dell ; and shawls , -woollen prints , and mixed fabrics . The pre-eminence of Saxony over the rest of continental Europe in the manufacture of broadcloth doubtless ^ arises , as Dr . Ure suggests , from the superior sof tness , combined with durability , of the home-grown wool . From . Glauchau and Chemmitz some very fine specimens of Saxony cloth are contributed : also from Lengenfeld and Grossenhayn . The other collections do not call for much remark . Wurtemberg has a good display of mixed goods and coloured flannels . Baden sends a few pretty vestings , made in the Jacquard loom . A single exhibitor from the kingdom of Bavaria has some good buckskin . Switzerland sends a very small , but also very excellent , collection of cassinets , tartans , Orleans , and other light cloths . None of the other exhibiting nationalities show anything at all remarkable .

    . The Wool Series in the Exposition ie doubtless , both for extent and variety , superior to that displayed in 1851 ; and the juries will probably discover in the continental displays many very marked improvements . The disgraceful poverty of the English collection makes it impossible to say how far our own manufactures have kept pace with the general advance ; but we-shall not be surprised to find that the foreign manufacturers have adopted every process which tended to give to Yorkshire and West of England fabrics their former undoubted superiority . The great fault heretofore urged against the best continental cloths has been a hardness and want of flexibility which rendered them liable to crease , if not to break easily in the

    wear : and the most superficial examination of the principal collecwear ; and the most superficial examination of the principal collections will serve to convince the visitor to the Exposition that this has been greatly obviated , and we will venture so say that some of the specimens exhibited from Sedan are quite equal , whether in point of quality , dye , finish , or wearing capabilities , to anything produced or producible from England . In return , it must be admitted that the English double-twilled merinos approach the fabrics of Tourcoing and Elbeuf muck closer than ever they did before , although the latter still retain a decided superiority in dye , softness , und lustre . The poverty of the Engl ish collection in worsted stuffs prevents us from drawing any further contrast

    between her manufacturers and tihose of the Continent in that respect ; but the Bradford manufacturers will reel nn interest in hearing that since 1851 the use of alpaca and mohair has made immense strides in France , Austria , and Prussia . In spite of the conservative secresy with which these gentlemen surround their works , their foreign competitors succeed in niaking those light , silky-grey fabrics , which are fust supplanting cotton prints , quite as well and as cheaply as they can . Far from seeing any matter for regret in this , we are rather disposed to look upon it hopefully , as likely to excite the English manufacturers into that competitive energy which is the spirit of Free Trade , and induce them to lay aside that island doggednoss which is unfortunately too much their characteristic as a class .

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    Stanfield , in every respect the same , was repeated last ; Tuesday at the private theatre at Campden House , the residence of Colonel Waugh , who very kindly l 61 The parting P tne * green curtain and the disclosure of an act-drop , most beautifully painted by Mr . Stan field , was the first relief to the curiosity of the audience , which had been considerably stimulated by the reports of those who had seen the play at Mr . Dickens ' s house . - » ¦ . i-i ^ , The rising of the act-drop , which showed the , outside of the lighthouse , at once took the spectator into the interior of the building . Three liffhtkeepers—Aaron Gurnock , his son Martin , and Jacob Dale—live alone upon the dreary rock . Martin Gurnock and Jacob Dale are discovered on the stage . The father , Aaron Gurnock , is not seen . A storm protracted beyond all their calculations , has prevented the supply of provisions on which these men depend from reaching them . Starvation is staring them in the face- A dense fog surrounds the lighthouse , and [ Jacob Dale , true to his duties to the last , leaves the stage to ascend the building , that he may warn any ship that may be near by striking the gong—for the light cannot be seen through the mist . _ __ _

    . „ ....... Left alone , with death apparently at hand , the thoughts of poor Martin turn to the pleasant shore , and to Phcebe ( . Jacvb Dale ' s daughter ) , to whom be is betrothed . Thus occupied , he is unconscious of what is now attracting the attention of the audience . The curtain of a bed let into the wall , after the manner of ships' berths , is hastily torn down , and the figure of the half-starved father , Aaron Gurnoch , steps into the -room . With horror-struck looks , he rouseshui son from his reflections , for he has that upon his mind-which he must unburden before he can meet the death whose approach is now only a question of hours , and but few of them . The tale , disturbed at intervals with immense effect by the sounding of the gong above , is a sad one . He had not always been a lightkeeper . Years ago he lived in a cottage on the land . One night , when a thick sea mist darkened the country around , a lady riding on a pony having lost her servant and her way together , arrived at his door , begging shelter for the night . With gentle wordssbe tells him that they " will talk more of him and his

    , poverty next day . " She is taken to an upper room , and so accepts the shelter of his roof . Beneath that roof she is foully murdered . Not , indeed , by Aaron himself , but by a companion who was in the house with him , who , lifting the lady ' s saddle-bags from the pony , felt tlieir weight , and resolved to make their contents his own . To Aaron ' s credit he refused all share in this gain , but he assisted to conceal the body of the lady , and the guilt of her murderer . Our ing this long tale the storm abates , and the boat with provisions arrives . Fhabc herself is one of the crew . Of course the first tiling to be done is to satisfy the hunger of the starving lightkeeperB , and this is hardly done when a fresh incident occurs . The newly-arrived boatmen , who are on the ^ look-out above , announce that a ship , wrecked in the storm which is now abating , is drifting towards the 3

    with some of her passengers yet clinging to her , lighthouse . Bope are thrown to these by Martin , Jacob Dale , and others , from the lighthouse window , through which the spray is dashed by some contrivance which we have never before seen attempted . During this scene of confusion , Aaron Gurnock crouches over the embers , affording no help , and little noticing the occupation of the rest . He is evidently brooding over his share in the murder of *• the Lady Grace" ( for that was her name ) . But words shall be spoken shortly which shall not fail to rouse him . For now the brig has drifted so near the lighthouse that the name written on her stern can be seen , and Phoebe ' s young eyes are strained to read it . For a while she puzzles as the ship is tossed about , and then , "I see it now , " she cries , "it is the Lady Grace" With Aaron , Gurnock ' s scream of horror , as lie recognises the name of his murdered guest , the

    curtain falls upon the first act . It rises soon again . There is sunshine and calmjiow outside the lighthouse , but darkness and storm enough within . Martin , HAnted by the thought of his unwortliiness , through his father ' s sin to unite Phtebe ' s lot to his—perplexed and distracted—gives offence to honest Jacob , her father , by what teems neglect « f his daughter . And now once more Aaron Gurnock and his son are left together , and Aaron , with death no longer staring him in the face , regrets that he has revealed the dreadful story , and pretends to liis son that he had only told it him in the ravings of delirium . The bewilderment of Martin is at its height , whether he is to believe last night ' s story or this morning ' s . He solemnly

    adjures his father to set the horrid doubt at rest , and to tell him in one word whether the story of the lady ' s murder was true or false . " False , " cries Aaron . But another voice says " True . " Unperceived by father or son , a lady , one of the passengers rescued from the wreck , has stolen into the room , and as she speaks , Aaron Gurnock falls on his knees , for he recognises the voice and flguie of the Lady Grace . To him it seems her spirit as he had seen it in his dreams , but it is indeed herself . When her supposed murderer and Aaron had concealed her body life was not wholly gone , and the story of her restoration follows . Hardly can her forgiveness reassure Aaron , but it gives him peace at last , and Martin , an honest man , can once more take his Phcebe ' a hand in his .

    Having thus sketched the plot of this most original and poetical play , it only remains to speak of the acting . Mr . Dickkns ' s Aaron Gurnoch was a performance of the most unparalleled benuty aud refinement . His marvellous embodiment of the character of the wild , rough , conscience-stricken man , the tender pnthos with which he told how the poor neighbours of the Lady Grace travelled from tlieir far-off homes to ask if her body had been found , and ha \ v the very children she had taught came there for tidings of her—the weary sighs -with which he interrupted his own tale—the passion of his grief—the subtlety and discretion of his by-play—tlio transition from the man who , when death seemed near , proclaimed his guilt , to the man who , when life returned , denied it—his pleading with the apparition ( as he thought it ) of the Lady Grace , that it was hard to stand to truth when it made him despised by hi » own son— -these and a thouflnnd other beauties in hid performance were done more justice to by the excitement and tears of his audience than by any praise we can bestow .

    Mr . . Mame IjKMon iKurfornicd the character of Jacob Dale with the finest pathos , and at tho eatiio time with consummate truth and reality ; and Mr . Koo s ueting of the rough sailor ' s part was full of dry and genuine humour . Grout credit is duo , also , to Mr . Wilkik Collins , the author of the play , for the extreme finish ami thoughtfulncss of bis acting . All these gentlemen wo had seen on the stage befl > re , and were prepared for their success ; but there are yet to be spoken of two performers in tiiia drama , whoso powers wo had not previously had an opportunity of estimating . Miss Hogarth ' s impersonation of the beautiful character of the />/

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    , _ ^ Australi an ie the beBt wool in the world . . It combines the strength of the English growth , with the durability of the German . The staple ia alao uniformly good .

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    ** - .. . 680 THE LEADED , [ No . 277 , Sajukday >

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    PRIVATE THEATRICALS AT KENSINGTON . The dramatic performance which took place last Tuesday evening , atCnmpdcn House , Kensington , for tho benefit of the Consumption Hospital , was of a kind far too remarkable to pass without special notice in these columns . Some weeks before a play , written by Mr . Wiliub Collins , and called The Lighthouse , had been got up privately at tho l » ouse of Mr . Ciiaiilks Dickenh . This play , with the same cast , the same oconos , painted expressly by Mr .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), July 14, 1855, page 680, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2099/page/20/