16 Observations' on the Causes that have retarded 



tematic arrangement of them, nor were the shells labelled or 

 described. This is the more to be regretted, as conchology 

 has risen into importance, from its connection with geology. 

 How different is the museum at the Jardin des Plantes at 

 Paris, where each genus and species of shell is arranged and 

 numbered according to a received system ; and the student 

 has only to examine the collection with his book in his hand, 

 to render himself master of the science, as far as books and 

 specimens can teach him ! This defect in the department of 

 conchology in the British Museum is to be lamented, as I 

 know of no public collection in this country, from which the 

 student can derive any assistance. Surely the curators of the 

 British Museum, who superintend this department, would do 

 well to recollect the maxim of Hippocrates, " Ars longa, vita 

 brevis." 



. It has been too long supposed that the nation had nothing 

 to do with the British Museum, but to furnish funds for its 

 support. I hope," however, that the present liberal and en- 

 lightened president of the Royal Society, whose zeal for the 

 promotion of science is well known, will feel that he is in trust 

 for the benefit of the nation, and that he will make all the re- 

 sources of the British Museum more available for the purpose 

 of public information, than they have yet been. It is particu- 

 larly desirable, as the London University will speedily be 

 opened, that the collections in every department of natural 

 history in the British Museum, should be well arranged, and 

 scientific catalogues published at a reasonable price. If this 

 were effected, it would be of greater benefit to the students 

 than the establishment of lectureships on natural history in the 

 university, as those who had a real desire to learn, would be 

 able to instruct themselves as at Paris. 



In offering these remarks, I can sincerely affirm that they 

 are not dictated by any feeling of hostility, but by an ardent 

 desire to see the scientific institutions of our own country 

 rendered as respectable and efficient as those in various parts 

 of Europe ; and I am certain, that if they are not so at pre- 

 sent, it is neither from want of talent or ability, but arises 

 from a kind of national reluctance to disturb the slumbers of 

 ancient establishments by innovation, even where innovation 

 would be attended with the most favourable results. 



The Ashmolean museum at Oxford offers an excellent 

 illustration of what ancient museums were intended to be. 

 Their founders never contemplated the formation of scientific 

 arrangements of natural objects for the purpose of study; but 

 they collected whatever was strange, curious, or rare in nature 

 or art, to surprise or amuse the spectators. In doing so they 



