exposition

[Fr.. from Lat. expositio, from exposit us, pa. par. of expo no; Sp. expo sic i on; Ital. exposizione.] 1. The act of exposing, laying open or bare, or displaying to public view. *2. The situation in which anything is placed with respect to the sun or air; aspect, exposure. "Water he chooses clear, light, without taste or smell; drawn from springs with an easterly exposition." Ar. buthnot. 3. An explanation or interpretation; the act of expounding or setting out the meaning or sense of an author or a work. "Your exposition on the holy text." Shakesp.: Henry IV., Pt . II ., iv. 2. 4. A work containing explanations or interpret a tions of an author or a work; a commentary. 5. An exhibition or show, as of the products and manufactures of a country. In recent years, the various great nations or their constituent communities of people have from time to time held expositions showing the progre made by themselves, and in many instances that made by their cooperating neighbors, who accepted invitations to participate in such exhibitions. The most prominent of the earlier expositions in this country was that held in the Crystal Palace, New 1745 York City, which, after a succe ful career of several years, was burned. In 1876 a more ambitious effort was made at the Philadelphia Centennial. Among European nations the spirit of enterprise was particularly active, and several notable expositions have been held in London, Vienna, Paris, and other cities, especially remembered among these being the Paris i an Exposition of 1889. But it remained for American enterprise, and particularly for the most enterprising of all the cities of this country, to inaugurate a movement that resulted in the gathering together and offering for the inspection of all the earth the Exposition par excel lence , before the glories of which the achievements of all others pale into insignificance. The World's Columbian Exposition was designed to commemorate the discovery of the Western Hemisphere, and as that event had contributed to affect the fortunes of all the earth, the entire human race was invited to participate, and the invitation was almost unanimously accepted. This great pageant of the earth's progre began on the first day of May, 1893, and closed October 30th of the same year. The expenses of the entire enterprise footed up to more than twenty-six millions of dollars, and the number of people who attended during the six months of its continuance was more than twenty-seven and a half millions. On one occasion (Chicago day) there were within the grounds over 700,000 persons-the largest number ever in attendance anywhere for a similar purpose. During the progre of the Exposition various congre es were held to consider an almost infinite number of subjects, and to demonstrate the progre of man in all points other than those set forth by the wonderful material evidences to be seen in the great buildings of the several departments. Other important expositions that have since been held, or are in contemplation, are the Cotton States Exposition at Atlanta, Ga., opened September 18, and closed December 31, 1895; the State Centennial and International Exposition, at Nashville. Tenn., from May 1 to November 1, 1897; the Trans-Mi i ippi and International Exposition at Omaha, Neb., from June 1 to November 1, 1898; the great Industrial Exposition at Stockholm, Sweden, in May, 1897, and the mammoth World's Fair at Paris, in 1900.