R-OT/al Institution, '683 



elucidate those material facts which scientific inquiries or 

 accidental circumstances have placed within the sphere of 

 their observation. Upon this they remark, that '.' it must 

 be obvious that the researches of private collectors seldorh> 

 or at least very gradually, extend beyond a limited circle ; and 

 that gentlemen who occupy their leisure hours in pursuing 

 interesting inquiries in chemistry, cannot interrupt them, itl 

 order minutely to examine and investigate an incidental fact 

 in mineralogy, which may, at the moment, be deemed a 

 new discovery." v 



To corroborate this, it is further stated that specimens for 

 analysis of corundum and muriate of lead had been given 

 by Mr. Greville to Mr. Woulfe, Dr. Withering, and Mr. 

 Kirwan, several years before they were sent by him to Mr. 

 Klaproth; who immediately analysed them, and published 

 the result thereof in the foreign journals. And they ob- 

 serve, cc that the more perfect description of these and other 

 rare minerals, in the joint papers of Count Bournon, Mr. 

 Hatchett, and Mr. Chenevix, recently published in the Phir- 

 losophical Transactions, cannot be taken to the credit of the 

 private collections which contained them. Mr. Hatchett 

 and Mr. Chenevix fortunatelv had peculiar leisure for the 

 analysis; and the whole time of Count Bournon was at that 

 period employed informing one collection, and in arranging 

 two others ; a circumstance which gave him the same adr- 

 vantage as if the collections had been public. The joint 

 papers of these three gentlemen may be proposed as the 

 models of the plan to be followed in the examination of 

 minerals in the British dominions in every quarter of the 

 globe; — -supplying examples from which may be formed 

 the most interesting collection of geology that can be ima- 

 gined." 



To attain this national object, and to encourage contribu* 

 tions to the funds for the original establishment of the col-r 

 Jection and assay office, it is proposed to give the subscri- 

 bers similar privileges to those on which a large sum has 

 been recently and rapidlv collected for the library of refe* 

 rence,-«-with only this difference, which the difference of the 

 object appears to warrant, that, in case of a patron's sub^ 

 scription to this collection^ whether a proprietor, a life 

 subscriber, or ah annual subscriber to the Institution, it may 

 be competent for him to exercise the rights of a patron;—^ 

 and that a select committee shall, from time to time, be ap- 

 pointed by the managers, from among the subscribers, to 

 form and arrange the collection, arid direct the operations 

 of the assay office. 



For 



