Ashmolean Museum. 273 



and astrology ; for he had purchased the library of Lilly, the celebrated 

 astrologer. 



" The Museum has since been increased by Sir W. Dugdale's, Anthony 

 Wood's, and the Aubrey manuscripts, which last have furnished much 

 amusing matter for a publication which was printed some years ago by the 

 Rev. J. Walker of New College. It has also been enlarged by Martin 

 Lister's collections of shells and fossils, Lloyd's, Plot's, and Borlase's, and 

 other objects of natural history, and by Mr. Rheinhokl Forster's collection 

 of the dresses and various instruments of the natives of the South Sea 

 Islands, and those of the Esquimaux Indians, presented by Captains Lyon 

 and Beechy, Sir Thomas Philips, and Lieutenant Harding. 



" It has been, from time to time, enriched by the valuable donations of 

 many other benefactors, particularly by those of the Alfred gem, the large 

 magnet, the very curious group of figures made with humming birds' 

 feathers, and, lately, by a great portion of the antiquities described in 

 the Naenia Britannica, presented by that liberal antiquarian Sir Richard 

 Colt Hoare.* 



" In a pecuniary point of view, its most munificent benefactor was Dr. 

 Rawlinson, who bequeathed a salary for the curator, under several ex- 

 clusive conditions. For many years the Museum had been so much 

 neglected, that it attracted but little curiosity; when, in the year 1824, it 

 was fortunately entrusted to the care of Mr. J. S. Duncan, since pre- 

 sented in the theatre with the honorary degree of D. C. L. He found 

 that the skins of animals collected by the Tradescants had fallen into total 

 decay; that cabinets for those objects which were liable to injury from 

 time were wholly wanting ; and that the apartment dedicated to the exhi- 

 bition of them had become much dilapidated. 



" Happily, at this time, a taste for the study of natural history had been 

 excited in the University by Dr. Paley's very interesting work on natural 

 theology, and the very popular lectures of Dr. Kidd on comparative 

 anatomy, and Dr. Bucklarid on geology. 



" Availing himself of this spirit, the curator induced the trustees to 

 sanction a general repair of the Museum. Their wish was seconded by 

 the liberality of the vice-chancellor and convocation. 



" When the room had been cleansed, repaired, and put in its present 

 condition, the next step of my predecessor was to fit it up with cabinets, 

 in which he might arrange in proper order what he found in a very dis- 

 ordered state in the Museum, and in which he might place those objects 

 of natural history, antiquities, or curiosities which he himself purchased, 

 or which might be given by benefactors. The Museum now exhibits a 

 well-arranged collection of many of the genera in every department of 

 zoology, with some beautiful and rare species included in each genus. 



" This has not been done without considerable expense ; but I am very 

 sure he has never regretted that expense, when he considered that it might 

 contribute to the instruction and amusement of the members of a univer- 

 versity for which he has always felt the grateful affection and attachment 

 of the most devoted of her sons. 



" The arrangement which he has made of the various specimens of 



" * I must not omit to mention, with gratitude, the names of the late 

 Bishop of Durham, the Hon. and Rev. C. Perceval ; R. Barclay, Esq., of 

 Bury Hill ; Sir John Franklyn ; Sir Edward Parry ; W. Burchell, Esq. ; 

 Major Stacy of Calcutta ; Dr. Such of London ; Dr. Prattinton, Prof., 

 and Mrs. Buckland; Rev. R. Walker of Magdalen College; J. Murray, 

 Esq. ; Miss Murray, Albemarle Street ; Rev. Dr. Turner ; late Bishop of 

 Calcutta, as munificent contributors to the zoological department of this 

 Museum. 



Vol. I. — No 5. n. s. x 



