Book Description

Excerpt from History of the World's Fair: Being a Complete Description of the World's Columbian Exposition From Its Inception You want me to express my opinion in regard to the Fair. I cannot talk to you about it from an artistic standpoint, for I know very little about art. I can only tell its effect upon me and, inferentially, what it will be upon 10,000,000 of people. I think it will astound every one who visits it, both on account of its magnitude and what they will consider its artistic merits. It would be fairy-like if it were not so colossal. It is a vision snatched from dreams whose lines have been brought out and well defined by the iodine of art. As an educational force and inspiration I believe the buildings, their grouping, and laying out of the grounds will in themselves do more good in a general way than the exhibits themselves, by the exaltation that it will inspire in every man, woman, and child who may have any emotions, and who has none, that may come to view it. I think that the prospect from Lake Michigan will impress every one who approaches it from that side by the tout ensemble which will be presented. I never looked at it without thinking of Claude Melnotte's description to Pauline of his palace by the Lake of Como. I was at Nice some years ago, and one morning in November I looked from my balcony up the distant mountain side and saw the cataract going over the dam, the Alps in the background, with the olive groves and the blue Mediterranean far above ground, and I said to my wife: "Every one who can should come to Nice to put in a stock of material for dreams." I think the Exposition furnishes a magazine for dreams equally as grand and more attractive. I have no doubt that, notwithstanding the vast amount of literature and illustrations which has been issued describing the Fair, the expectations of our people and those from abroad will be more than realized. I never go down to it but what I am lifted up to a higher plane, and feel more enthusiasm in regard to its real magnitude and merit. If it was within the range of constitutional legislation it would pay the Government of the United States to bring free of expense ten millions of our people who will not have the money to come. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.