250 PRESENT STATE OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



conduft of this moft of the private collections in the kingdom ; for it is pre- 

 efhblifhment. fumed thafc there are few 1()vers of natural h j ftory who would 



not prefer the honourable applaufe of completing the national 

 Mufeum, to the felfifli pleafure of pofleffing an imperfect and 

 comparatively ufelefs collection of their own, especially as 

 they would enjoy the credit of the collection equally as if it re- 

 mained in their own private poffeffion. 

 Extension of the By degrees as the collection enlarged, and as its utility was 

 Muleum. more fenfibly felt, it is to be prefumed that the nation might be 



induced to purchafe ground, and to erect appropriate and ex- 

 tenfive buildings to contain it : in fhort it would feem, were 

 this plan to be adopted, that we might indulge ourfelves with 

 the profpedl of fpeedily pofleffing one of the fineft, the moil 

 interefting, and moft inftructive eftablifhments in the univerfe. 



hG, 



ANNOTATION. W. N. 



Public eftabllfh- Though the importance and value of public eftablifhments 

 nicnts are of have been ftrongly felt and admitted in all ages, yet there has 

 tance. " not * as ^ ar as I know, been any direct inveftigation of the means 

 They have vi- of giving them permanence and effect. A public library, col- 

 gouiatfirftj lege, inftitution, or fociety, maybe radically defective in its 

 conftitution, and, neverthelefs, flourifh for a time by virtue of 

 the ability and active exertions of its founders; and it is cer- 

 but foon decay, tain, that every conftitution whatever will afford only a periftV 

 able eftablifhment, unlets it contain fome inducement by which 

 fuch exertions (hall be invited and continued in its favour. It 

 appears to be extremely difficult, and perhaps in ftrictnefs im- 

 poffible, to produce motives of this kind by mere regulation ; 

 and truftees, managers, infpectors, or governors, being bound 

 by the letter of the ftatutes, can feldom be expected to make 

 Is this degene- advances in fupport of the fpirit of the foundation. Is it an 

 racy inevitable ? unavoidable confequence, that fchools, univerfities, and fo- 

 cieties, ilia.ll degenerate into mere inftruments for conferring 

 decrees or titles? Are all eftablifhments perilhable unlels en- 

 dowed ? Is it from the operation of inevitable caufes that va- 

 Endowments, rious endowments are productive of little or no effect, and that 

 ^ c * moft unendowed eftablifhments difappear in a few years? 



Jnftances. Gre- Among the former we may mention the Grefham foundations 



/ham College and a nd 



others. 



