place Her coins of Britain against those of Imperial Rome, without, at least, any apprehension of their suffering by comparison.

I have now only to request the attention and consideration of my readers to the plate that will accompany this subject, in which the Britannias of Droz and Wyon are insulated, as on the coinage of Boulton, A.D. 1797, engraved by Mr. George Barclay, of London, from a drawing by a talented and rising artist of the Cork School of Design, Mr. W. L. Casey; and I flatter myself that they will join with me in thinking that the Britannia on our Coinage should be so represented, an Island Queen, with the sea washing the rocky footstool of her throne, a personification of our national anthem, "Britannia Rules the Waves !"

Cork, 14th August, 1852.

9

THE MEDALS OF THE GREAT EXHIBITION IN

HYDE PARK, A.D. 1851.

THE Great Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations at the Crystal Palace, Hyde Park, in 1851, the magnificent and statesmanlike idea of His Royal Highness Prince Albert, and so completely successful in bringing together all the productions of nature and all the industry of mankind, and thus enabling every nation to see and to know their real and their relative position, by coming face to face with each other, is a subject so vast and so overpowering, that ordinary mortals like myself would shrink at the thought of coming in contact with even a shred of the hem of its garment, but for the ever predominent and re-assuring thought, "The Exhibition" was One Great Good, present and to come, in all its aspects, in all its realities, and in all its consequences; and that, therefore, comparatively speaking, however small, or however humble, may be the portion engaging the attention of any individual, so far as it goes, the consideration must in some way have a beneficial tendency.

The Royal Commissioners for the Exhibition, having determined to give Prize Medals, offered a premium of 100%. each to the three best designs for reverses only; and 50%. each to the three next best; opening the competition to artists of all nations. In consequence, one hundred and twenty-nine designs by British and foreign artists competed for the premiums. The first premium was adjudged to Monsieur H. Bonnardel, a sculptor of Paris, and the die was engraved by Monsieur Domard of that city. The design represents Britannia standing on a raised platform, backed by standards of different nations, and bestowing a wreath with each hand; on her right to Mercury, representing Commerce, and who extends his hand amicably to a female, the personification of Industry, who receives from Britannia the other wreath. This medal became "The Council Medal," is three and a half inches in diameter, and was given for originality of production, say of invention.

The second premium was obtained by Leonard C. Wyon, at that time Second (and now Chief) Engraver of Her Majesty's Mint. Deferring a description of it for the present, I shall only now say that this was "The Prize Medal" of the Exhibition, that is, for excellence of production; size, three inches diameter.

The third premium was given to Mr. G. G. Adams, of London. The design presents "a gracefully modelled group, in low relief, of Industry, encouraged by Commerce and crowned by Fame." This has been denominated, "The Jurors of the Exhibition and their Assistants' Medal;" size, two and a half inches diameter.

Neither Monsieur Bonnardel's nor Mr. Adams's medals have reached Cork; I am therefore unable to speak of the merits of their engraving. Their compositions I take from "The Illustrated London News," of July 27, 1850; and, as Leonard C. Wyon's is correctly represented, I can have no doubt but that the others are also, and I have borrowed largely in the preceding remarks from the editor's critical notices, who wrote with all the models before him.

Two medals were subsequently "ordered" to be engraved by the Chief Engraver, William Wyon, R.A., each bearing the bust of His Royal Highness Prince Albert, inscribed, "H: R: H: Prince Albert, President of the Royal Commission." The first of these, "The Exhibitors' Medal," has, reverse, a globe, within a wreath of olive, and shewing the four quarters of the earth. The globe is surmounted by a dove with outspread wings; and on a band across the centre of the globe the word "Exhibitor." Inscription, "Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, MDCCCLI." Size, one and threequarters inch diameter.

The fifth is "The Service Medal," with similar circular inscriptions, and within a wreath on the reverse is inscribed, "For Service." Size, one seven-eighths inch diameter. This has been for services in and connected with the Exhibition, Local Commissioners, &c.

The bust of His Royal Highness on these two medals is engraved in the highest and most finished style of art; the expression of the countenance is that of great and engaging benevolence, with the

most tranquil repose of the features.

It would seem to express a

mind at rest and satisfied with all around it.

The reverse of the Exhibitors' Medal has a very rich effect. The Service Medal I have not seen.

In the portraits of His Royal Highness the Prince on all the Exhibition medals, William Wyon, with equal judgment and taste, has kept the upper lip clear of the moustache, and thus preserved the full and natural expression of the mouth, which comes next to the eye in characteristic effect, and without which a portrait must be more or less imperfect. I was struck with this when examining (in what may be truly called "a vault" in the British Museum) the sculptures of the Assyrian kings and deities, brought by Dr. Layard from his excavations at Nimroud, in which their artists have carefully kept the upper lip free from moustache. So did Simon in his splendid coinage of Oliver Cromwell; and much of the effect in that commanding bust arises from the stern compressed lips being visible. Contrast these with the medal, recently published at the Mint of Paris, of Prince Louis Napoleon, engraved by "Borrel, 1851." On this an enormous moustache projects so much as to leave only a small strip of the lower part of the under lip visible, which appears very retreating, and gives a complaining weakness of expression to the countenance of the President of the French Republic, not much in accordance with his actions.

The three Exhibition Medallions, with the reverses of Monsieur Bonnardel, Leonard C. Wyon, and Mr. Adams, have all the same obverse; the busts of Her Majesty and the Prince Consort, modelled from the life at Osborne, in A.D. 1850, by Her Majesty's Chief Engraver of the Mint, William Wyon, R.A., his last, and as an obverse, it may be truly said, the artist's greatest work. This sunset of his life has all the strength, grace, and beauty of meridian intellect, energy, and refinement. The occasion was great, and the mind was equal to the requirement. The portraits are magnificently regal, lifelike, and intellectual. There is a noble thoughtfulness in the Prince, an intense expressive loveliness in Her Majesty, one subject occupies both minds. The Prince contemplates its difficulties and is prepared to overcome them. The Queen, in the eagle vision of faith, sees only its assured and splendid triumph; no doubt dims her eye, no apprehension clouds her brow; but in her confiding look,

and sweet, satisfied, and smiling lips, are revealed a mother, knowing and therefore trustful and reliant on her children.

Two dolphins, very gracefully arranged, support the royal busts, with sharp earnest jealous eyes and snarling angry snouts, and who, were they not better engaged and indeed utterly unable to quit their posts, seem most pugnaciously and belligerently inclined to have a tilt at each other. I cannot find any dolphins to equal them in life, spirit, and expression, either on the medallions of Syracuse or on the coins of Tarentum. A very beautiful trident occupies the space at the back of Her Majesty's neck; and these accessories, while contributing beneficially to the general effect, indicate our insular position and our naval power.

The reverse of "The Prize Medal" of the Exhibition was, as I have already noticed, designed and executed by Leonard C. Wyon, and the engraving has happily embodied the creation of the mind. On an elevated seat, slightly and gracefully bending forward, Britannia with her right hand raises, and with her left places a wreath on, the kneeling figure of Industry, presented to Britannia by a standing group of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. This design strikes me as peculiarly appropriate, for it identifies itself with the Exhibition of 1851, and only with that gathering of the industry of all the world. Beautiful as the other two designs are, they would be equally eligible for any exhibition of this nature. For our own at Cork this year, 1852, Mr. Adams's would require no change; and a shamrock chaplet would Hibernicise Monsieur Bonnardel's distributing demoiselle. Wyon's design, even without an obverse or an inscription, clearly and fully records the great event of 1851, but can be applicable to no other; and this appears to me, when originality is so rare, as a very great merit.

The diameter of this medallion is three inches, which gives a welcome space for ability to display itself, but is a severe trial where there is any shortcoming. Here the demand is fully met. The three figures in the foreground, Britannia, Industry, and Europe, stand out in bold relief, with the most beautiful finish; their hands in particular are exquisitely true to graceful nature. The left hand of Britannia is so critically poised that the wreath will exactly take its place on the brow of Industry, while her right is as clearly raising the timid suppliant, whose almost shrinking hand is passive in that of