PANORAMA OT LONDON BY NIGHT AT THE COLOSSEUM.
The illuminated Panorama of London by moon-light, as seen from the top of St. Paul's, forms the grand attraction at the Colosseum in the even- ing, and is a more beautiful and extraordinary picture than the day-light view. It is a most surprising illusion. Entering the ascending-room, you are wafted to the top of the building; and, on the door of the lantern- closet opening, the rays of a full moon in an almost cloudless sky stream across the circular gallery that you step out upon, casting the shadows of the balustrades on the floor. Looking down from this seemingly giddy height, over the sombre swelling mass of the dome of St. Paul's, and on the two Western turrets standing up bright in the moon-light, you see the great city spread out in all its vastness beneath and around: the river—its tippled surface silvered with the moon-beams and spanned by bridges glit- tering with points of light reflected in the stream—winds its devious course through the dense and dark masses of buildings; and the leading lines of street are mapped out in serpentine trails of lustrous brightness; while , directly under the eye the blazing shops and illumined windows anal sky- lights enliven the scene, some distant windows reflecting the moon-light. The time chosen is the early part of the evening, when all the lamps are lit, and before the shops are closed or the streets thinned. The shops and houses round the church-yard are in full brilliancy, and the road-ways of Ludgate Hill appear radianewith light and crowded with passengers and traffic. The view looking down both these great thoroughfares is very striking, the light gradually diminishing as they recede. The skill with which the lights are graduated throughout the picture so as to give pictorial "keeping" to the whole scene is especially worthy of admiration. In tracing the windings of the Thames from Chelsea to Blackwell, the ripple of the tide is perceived by the shifting reflections of the moon's path, of the lamps on the bridges, and the lights in the vessels and on shore; the stars twinkle, and the clouds move slowly. In short, scenic illusion can go no further towards producing the appearance of reality: so complete is its power and so grand the effect, that the visiter continually forgets it is only a mimic metropolis he beholds. The picture is painted by Messrs. Denson and Telbin : but the credit of the idea, we understand, belongs to Mr. W. Bmdwell; to whom also is due some of the merit of contriving its effects. A remarkable circumstance attending the exhibition is that the canvass on which the picture is painted is erected in front Of the old panorama, and is put up every evening and taken down every morning, that the day-view of London may be seen.
The appearance of the Saloon of Sculpture and its approaches by gas- light is even more splendid than by day; the harmony of colours in the draperies and their effect combined with the white and gold of the archi- tecture producing a magnificent coup d'ceiL The conservatories are closed at night; but the Swiss cottage and the grotto are open,—agreeable and cool retreats, very refreshing after the heat and glare of the more brilliantly-lighted parts of the building. Altogether, this is a most de- lightful lounge for an evening's recreation, where art and taste minister to luxurious enjoyment.
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