BRITISH MUSEUM. 221 



Establishment of the Museum, and also to a much greater extent, for 

 the augmentation of the Collections in the different Departments ; but they 

 confidently rely on the readiness of the Representatives of the People to make 

 full and ample provision for the improvement of an Establishment which al- 

 ready enjoys a high reputation in the world of science, and is an object of 

 daily increasing interest to the people of this country." 



The parliamentary grant has been increased to the amount of 4000/., 

 and certainly, notwithstanding Mr. Hume, there is no disposition in 

 ' the representatives of the people ' to deprive the Museum of its just 

 demands, so long as it holds the station to which it should aspire in the 

 world of science. 



" 17- Resolved That the Committee, in the alterations which they have sug- 

 gested, do not mean to convey a charge against the Trustees, or against the 

 officers of the Museum, whose talents, good conduct, and general and scientific 

 acquirements are universally admitted ; and they are aware that, where imper- 

 fections exist in the Collections, those imperfections are mainly attributable to 

 the very inadequate space hitherto available for their exhibition, and to the 

 limited pecuniary means at the disposal of the Trustees ; and they are of 

 opinion that the present state of the British Museum, compared with the in- 

 creasing interest taken in it by all classes of the people, justifies them in the re- 

 commendations contained in the above Resolutions." 



From a resolution so negatively complimentary to the present man- 

 agement, we ought not to dissent in deference to the honourable mem- 

 bers of the committee ; but, at the same time, we hope that such com- 

 pliments will induce * the powers that be' to comply the more easily with 

 the recommendations of that committee. "We have seen the collections 

 of fossil-zoology and botany, and of zoology generally, as placed in the 

 new buildings, and certainly no very high compliments are due to 

 Messrs. Children and Gray, for the arrangement of the various speci- 

 mens. (See Dr. Grant and Messrs. South and Vigours, in evidence.) 



" 1 8 . ResolvedThat the Committee, having taken into consideration, the Petition 

 presented to the House by Mr. Charles Tilt, and referred to the Committee, 

 which Petition prayed for public assistance in the preparation of a work from 

 the Medals in the British Museum, and having taken Evidence on the said 

 subject, consider that in no way can they more satisfactorily discharge the 

 duty confided to them by the reference in question than by simply laying be- 

 fore the House the Minutes of Evidence so taken, and ordering the Petition 

 of Mr. Charles Tilt to be placed as an Appendix to that Evidence, and to these 

 Resolutions." 



The relief process of M. Colas of Paris, which Mr. Charles Tilt 

 has proposed by petition to apply to the copying- of the medals in the 

 British Museum, is most beautiful, and should be immediately adopted. 

 Nothing but the jealous interference of some of the family trustees 

 can stand in the way of so reasonable a proposition. 



We have thus given to our readers, accompanied with a few passing 

 remarks, the resolutions of the select committee of enquiry, which 



