BRITISH MUSEUM. 207 



tor was that the collection should be kept and preserved together 

 whole and entire. 



Parliament accepted Sir Hans Sloane's offer ; and on June 7, 1753, 

 an act of parliament was passed empowering the government to raise 

 300,OOOZ. by a lottery for purchasing the Sloanian Museum,* and 

 also the Harleian collection of MSS., and for providing a general re- 

 pository for the same, as also for the Cottonian Library, given to the 

 nation in William the Third's reign. This is the Act of Incorpora- 

 tion of the British Museum. Montague House was afterwards pur- 

 chased by the government for lO.OOOZ. ; and, the various collections 

 having been removed to this depository, the British Museum was 

 opened for public inspection on the 15th of January, 1759- 



Among the first elected trustees appointed to conduct the new esta- 

 blishment were several persons eminent for learning and science : 

 viz. the Right Honourable Philip York, author of the " Athenian 

 Letters ;" Sir George afterwards Lord Lyttleton, the well-known 

 author ; Sir John Evelyn, Bart., son of the celebrated Sir John 

 Evelyn ; Nicholas Hardinge, Esq., a barrister, author of Latin Poems, 

 and distinguished for the cultivation of the Belles Lettres ; the Rev. 

 Dr. Birch, Secretary of the Royal Society, and author of many 

 well-known biographical and historical works; Dr. John Ward, 

 Professor of Rhetoric at Gresham College ; and Mr. William Wat- 

 son, afterwards Sir WilliamWatson, a celebrated physician of the day 



The first establishment of officers consisted of a principal librarian 

 at 200Z. a-year, three under librarians, 100/., three assistants, 50/., 

 a keeper of the reading-room, 50/., a porter and messenger, 50/., 

 one man, 30/., and four women-servants, which would probably 

 amount to 900/. a-year; and, notwithstanding the insignificance of 

 their pay, we read in Dodsley's Guide that '* the officers were re- 

 markable for being a sensible and learned set of men." 



This national collection, on its first opening, was divided into 



three departments : printed books, manuscripts, and natural history. 



The printed books consisted at first only of Sir H. Sloane's and 



* The net produce of this lottery (100,000/.) was thus distributed : - 



To Sir Hans Sloane's executors - ... 20,000 



To the earl of Oxford, for the Harley MSS. - - 10,000 



To Lord Halifax, for Montague House - - 10,250 



Expense of repairs and furniture .... 17,523 



Reserve fund - - - - -....- - - 30,000 



87,773 

 M.M. No. 3. R * 



