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INTRODUCTION.

Exhibitions of theSociety of Arts .

as early as 1829, the Eoyal Dublin Society had founded an exhibition of worksof art, science, and manufacture, to be held triennially, to which, however, Irishproductions only were admitted until the year 1850. But the local exhibition ofBirmingham , held in the autumn of the year 1849—originating with individuals,self-supporting in its management, and comprehensive in the scope of the objectsexhibited—may be said to have most nearly resembled the Exhibition of the presentyear. All similar exhibitions, in fact, have been essentially of a private and localcharacter, none of them receiving any kind of Government or national sanction,if we except the exhibition of manufactures applicable to the decoration of theHouses of Parliament , which was instituted by the Fine Arts Commissioners.

To follow the links of the chain which have connected the present Exhibitionwith the national sympathies and support, we must revert to the French expositionin 1844. The great success of that exposition caused several representations to bemade to members of the Cabinet, of the benefit which a similar exhibition would belikely to confer on the industry of the United Kingdom , and some efforts weremade to obtain the assistance of the Government, but with no apparent results.No hopes whatever were held out that the Government would undertake anypecuniary liabilities in promoting such an exhibition. It may be mentioned that,even so late as the year 1848, a proposal to establish a self-supporting exhibitionof British industry, to be controlled by a Royal Commission, was submittedto His Royal Highness the Prince Albert , and by him laid before the Govern-ment ; still the Government hesitated to take up the subject, and it became quiteevident to those parties who were most desirous of witnessing the establishmentof a national exhibition, that if such an event should ever take place, it would haveto be carried out independently of any Government assistance.

It is a marking feature in all the institutions and great works of our country,that they are the consequences of popular wishes. It is not until wants becomenational, and that combined action becomes essential to success, that the peopleseek the aid of the Government. The great constitutional freedom which thiscountry enjoys, may be ascribed in some measure to the reluctance which theGovernment always shows to act on behalf of the people in any case where it ispossible they can act for themselves. A great part of the success which has at-tended the institution of this Exhibition, may be attributed to its independence ofthe Government ; and it may be the boast of our countrymen that the Exhibitionwas originated, conducted, and completed independently of any Government aidwhatever, except its sanction. Assistance has only been sought from the Govern-ment when it was indispensable, as in correspondence with foreign countries, theprovision of a site for the building, the organization of police, &c.; and whereversuch assistance, when granted, would have entailed expense, the cost of it has beendefrayed from the funds of the Exhibition.

Step by step, the subject of a national exhibition, and the means of real-izing it, became connected with the Society of Arts . In June, 1845, a com-mittee of members of that Society was formed to carry out an exhibition ofnational industry, and funds were subscribed by the individuals forming thecommittee to meet the preliminary expenses. An inquiry was set on foot toascertain the disposition of manufacturers to support the exhibition, but theattempt failed and was abandoned. In 1847 the Council of the Society sub-stituted action for theory, and, in the midst of discouragement, establisheda limited exhibition of manufactures, professedly as the beginning of a series.