Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 3.djvu/70

 NOTES AND QUERIES. [io s. HI. JAN. 21,

demolished. Situated between Albany Street and Regent's Park Road, and overlooking the Park, the present building was erected in 18'24 by Mr. Hornor, a well-known land surveyor, at a cost of 30,000. A further sum of 100,000^ was expended by that gentleman on the decorations of the interior and purchase of works of art. It was then opened with a Panorama of London, painted by Mr. Hornor, who made his sketches from an observatory created on the top of St. Paul's Cathedral, the painting covering over 46,000 square feet (more than an acre) of canvas. In 1843 the projector failed, and the building passed into the hands of trustees.

" In 1845 the buildings were considerably altered and remodelled from designs furnished by the late Mr. Bradwell, Chief Machinist at Covent Garden, when the Albany Street entrance was added, with a picturesque armoury as an anteroom. Upon the stage passed the Cyclorama of Lisbon, depicting in ten scenes the great Earthquake of 1755. Ill fortune attended this as every other effort to restore the fortunes of the place, and for the last twenty years the building has been gradually falling to decay. The lease has been purchased by Mr. Bird, and on the site a number of residences will be built/'

The Cyclorama of Lisbon was first opened in 1848 (not 1845). The building then con- tained a rustic armoury or refreshment cottage ; the cyclprama and music hall, decorated with copies of three of Raphael's cartoons by Horner ; and a camera obscura. The exhibition when reopened in 1845 con- sisted of the Glyptotheca, or museum of sculpture ; a grand panorama of London, painted by E. T. Parris ; conservatories ; Gothic aviary ; exterior promenade with re- productions of stalactite caverns, mountain torrents, &c. ; and a camera obscura. The evening exhibition was a panorama of ' Lon- don by Night,' painted by Messrs. Danson and Telbin. The grand panorama by Parris was reproduced in book form in eight coloured sections, printed by Kronheim & Co., and embossed by Dpbbs, Bailey & Co., a rare little volume. The introduction to the text, after reciting the history of the building, pro- ceeds, "Some alterations were made which did not elevate its character as a place of public amusements." This probably refers to an artificial skating - rink arranged with suitable surroundings, and much frequented during the summer of 1842; vide Reynold's, Leigh's, Whittock's, or Cruchley's 'New Picture of London ' ; Kidd's ' Guide to the Lions of London,' &c. MR. CECIL CLARKE is welcome to the loan of these and several others. ALECK ABRAHAMS.

39, Hillmarton Road, N.

The mention of the Coliseum forcibly re- minds me of the days of my childhood, for I can remember being taken to see the panoramic picture of London at the Coliseum

in 1837, and wondering where my ball would go, if thrown down upon it from the gallery.

Upon entering the building, one passed into the saloon festooned with draperies and an awning of which MR. MACMICHAEL speaks; and amongst the sculptures and casts was a colossal statue of the last Earl Harcourt, who died in 1830. Of this I lost sight for many years, until I saw it placed at the entrance of the Harcourt aisle in Stan ton Harcourt Church, near Oxford, and it is there, I suppose, at the present moment. The earl lies ouried with many of his ances- tors in the vault beneath the Harcourt aisle in that church.

A small engraving of the Coliseum was in Leigh's 'New Picture of London,' a book which I have not seen since that distant time. It was profusely illustrated with en- gravings of buildings in London and its vicinage, many of which have since been swept away. ' JOHN PICKFORD, M.A.

Newbourne Rectory, Woodbridge.

"To HAVE A MONTH'S MIND" (10 th S. ii. 487). Among my notes I find references to examples of this expression in Scott's 'Journal,' i. 222 ; Vanbrugh's ' Plays,' i. 333 ; Congreve's ' Plays,' p. 358 ; and to a work the title of which I cannot decipher. The expression is a common one, and is explained in the 'Century Dictionary,' where other examples are given from the ' Paston Letters,' iii. 463 ; Jeremy Taylor, ii. 373 ; and Shak- spere. ALBERT MATTHEWS.

Boston, U.S.

A post - Reformation example occurs in Butler's ' Hudibras,' I. ii. Ill :

For if a trumpet sound, or drum beat, Who hath not a month's mind to combat ? J. HOLDEN MACMlCHAEL.

This is explained as an "ardent desire," which is only a secondary application ; the term really arose from the Catholic system of prayers for the dead. A. HALL.

See 6 th S. vi. 205, 251, 352, 374, 410, 458 516 ; vii. 115, 298 ; viii. 312 ; 9 th S. vi. 104 195, 295, 414. G. L. APPERSON.

Wimbledon.

This expression will be found in Pepys's ' Diary,' under date 20 May, 1660 : " Though I had a month's mind, I had not the boldness to go to her."

SIDNEY WHITE, LL.D., B.A.

[MR. NORMAX PEARSON also refers to Pepys.]

MAZE AT SEVILLE (10 th S. ii. 508). In reference to the query of ST. SWITHIN for the plan of a maze in the pavilion of the Alcazar