The Belgravians next consulted their “_medicine-men_,” who, seeing that they wanted to be frightened, suggested to them that _some_ foreigners were dirty,—that dirt in _some_ cases causes disease. The Belgravian mind immediately made the inference that the foreigners would bring with them the plague; then they dwelt on sanitary measures, and on the danger to the public, until they themselves became nearly insane. It was then suggested that the foreigners might become assassins by night,—or take military possession of London by day. Their tradesmen too, who hated the scheme, and knew the humour of their customers, assured them that trade would be entirely ruined; whilst at the same time, it was whispered that many of them had sent large orders to France for goods to be exhibited at the Crystal Palace, and afterwards to be sold to their capricious customers, either as French, or as English surpassing French, just as the whim of the moment might cause a demand for the one or the other. This opposition of the inhabitants of Belgravia increased as the preparations for the opening of the Exposition advanced. The working classes had been favourable to the scheme from the commencement, and a knowledge of its advantages seems to have advanced slowly in society from below upwards. That the inhabitants of this fashionable quarter were necessarily exposed to some inconveniences cannot be denied. Their much-frequented riding ground was for a time interfered with, but they should have remembered that although the public at large _paid_ for the maintenance of the park, the greatest portion of its advantages were _enjoyed_ by those residing nearest to it. Under these circumstances they ought to have been well content to forego for a time these trifling advantages, and to suffer with a good grace the little temporary inconveniences resulting from a plan which was unrivalled for the advancement of the arts of peace, and calculated not only to benefit our own country, but to contribute to the civilization of the world. Notwithstanding much opposition and many prophecies of failure, a Royal Commission was at last appointed. It consisted almost exclusively of members of parliament, and of persons holding official situations. It was stated that not more than two of its members had ever seen a foreign exposition, and although it included many men distinguished in other departments of knowledge, there was scarcely one whose name was known to the nations we invited as at all eminent in that over which the Commission presided.