162 Mk. Liddell's Statistical Account of the Exhibition. 



the people, on many other occasions than the New-Year holidays. It is 

 well known that a good toned powerful organ, under the hands of a skil- 

 ful performer, can produce sweet sounds, little inferior to that of a full 

 band. But what would be most desirable is a gallery, a museum, or a 

 polytechnic institution, of a comprehensive and instructive description, 

 permanently fixed amongst us, and which would be thrown open to 

 the public on the evenings and holidays, gratuitously, or at a trifling 

 admission fee. I am of opinion, that such an institution, if started 

 free of debt, could support itself from admission fees of a reasonable 

 amount exacted at other times than those mentioned. The exhibi- 

 tion opened by the Local Committee of the British Association, for 

 six months previous to the meeting of that body in 1840, paid all 

 expenses from admission fees of 3d., 6d., and Is., although the con- 

 cern, with the exception of Perkin's steam gun, had little novelty. 

 To be attractive, such an institution must bring to the public view 

 every new discovery. By arrangement with inventors, designers, manu- 

 facturers, and others, this could be done at a comparatively small outlay. 

 In this way, novelty could be maintained by a change of many of the 

 objects, perhaps every month. Were such an institution resolved on, 

 suitable apartments would be required. These could be erected at a 

 small expense, adjoining the City Hall, where the Corporation have vacant 

 ground which might be applied to that purpose. Money also will be 

 required at starting. The overplus or receipts of the late Exhibition cannot, 

 in accordance with the clause just quoted, be applied to this purpose. It 

 amounts to nearly £500. And I have authority from a wealthy and 

 liberal citizen to say, that so soon as it can be made apparent that an 

 exhibition similar to the one lately got up by our Society, can be 

 established on a permanent footing — admission being given to the working 

 classes, either free or on the payment of a very small sum — he will cheer- 

 fully subscribe £500. We have thus, from these two sources alone, a 

 sum of about £1000. This amount, if placed under the fostering care 

 of a competent committee, may, in my opinion, at no distant period, be 

 quadrupled — which would be quite sufficient to get up an institution of 

 the kind proposed. The Exhibition we are now describing, may thus 

 have laid the foundation of a museum which may become gigantic in 

 extent, and more useful to the great bulk of the community, than even 

 the Philosophical Society itself, which being purely scientific in its aim, 

 must necessarily communicate instruction or amusement direct to a com- 

 paratively small number. 



RECEIPTS. 



To Cash received for Tickets of Admission, * £1,639 11 



— for Catalogues, &c 60 4 4 



£1,707 16 1 



