crammed, and groaning under the accumula- 

 ted loads of interesting and valuable articles ; 

 without that order, protection, and care, which 

 their value, as well as the respect due to the 

 contributors, ought to secure for them. It 

 may safely be remarked, that contributors will 

 not consider themselves honoured on finding 

 that their donations have been consigned to an 

 obscure corner, or perhaps to a drawer, where 

 they can seldom be seen ; and it is reasonable to 

 infer, that they would rather present them to some 

 other Institution, where they would be displayed 

 to greater advantage. 



Your Council are aware, that some little dis- 

 grace already rests upon the Institution, for want 

 of anew general arrangement and classification 

 of the contents of the Museum; which also require 

 to be catalogued and properly labelled: but which 

 it would be lost labour to attempt, until the 

 specimens, when so disposed of, can be protected 

 from further injury and derangement by suitable 

 glass cases ; which it has been impossible for 

 your Council to provide, without incurring debts 

 which they had no prospect of being able to 

 discharge, in any reasonable space of time. 



Under these circumstances, the retiring Council 

 avail themselves of the license which the present 

 opportunity affords them, respectfully to recom- 

 mend a Subscription to be entered into, so as to 

 enable their successors to proceed immediately 



