—  18  —

THE  WORLü’s  FAIRS

The  immense  Rotunda  of  Vienna,  with  a
doine  that  equals  tliat.  of  St  Peter's  atRome
in  size,  nowservesfor  concerts  and  populär
festivals.  Düring  the  exhibition  the  Rotunda ­
  contained  a  thoroughly  international ­
  selection  of  the  most  valuable  products
  from  all  the  departments.  This  idea
had  the  disadvantage  of,  as  it  were,  discountiug
  in  advance  the  decisions  of  the
Jury.  To  be  in  the  Rotunda  gave  an  exhibitor
  at  once  an  advantage  over  his
competitors.  This  can  not  liave  been  the
intention  of  the  organising  comnuittee,  who
in  thus  forming  a  small  universal  exhibition ­
  within  the  large  one,  were  probably
mainly  actuated  by  the  wish  to  give
the  immense  Rotunda  some  useful  besides
ornamental  employment  in  connection
with  the  exhibition.  They  would  probably ­
  have  better  attained  their  end  by
making  it,  the  department  of  plastie  art,
whose  subjects  would  have  presented  a
more  harmonious  aspect,  than  did  the
heterogenous  mass  of  industrial  products.
In  beauty  of  the  grounds  the  Philadelphia ­
  exhibition  surpassed  those  of
Europe;  and  Memorial  Hall,  whicb  permanently
  adorns  Fairmount  Park,  can
rank  worthily  by  the  side  of  the  Vienna
Rotunda  and  the  Trocadero  Palace  at
Paris.