MEMOIR OP SIR HANS SLOANE, BART. 17 



very recently concluded their valuable labours. A most important 

 volume of evidence has been already printed ; and another, equal, if 

 not superior, in interest, may be expected in the course of three or 

 four months. In the mean time, we have much gratification in lay- 

 ing before our readers the following valuable Parliamentary Paper, 

 presented to the House on the 2nd of August, by Sir Robert Peel : 



" At a Committee of the Trustees of the British Museum, July 

 20th, 1836, the resolutions passed by the select committee of the 

 House of Commons, appointed to inquire into the affairs of the Mu- 

 seum, as printed in the Votes of the 14th instant, were read to the 

 following effect : — 



" 1. That the great accessions which have been made of late to the collec- 

 tions of the British Museum, and the increasing interest taken in them by 

 the public, render it expedient to revise the Establishment of the Institu- 

 tion, with a view to place it upon a scale more commensurate with, and bet- 

 ter adapted to, the present state and future prospects of the Museum. 



" 2. That this committee do not recommend any interference with the 

 family trustees, who hold their offices under Acts of Parliament, being of 

 the nature of national compacts. 



3. That though the number of official trustees may appear unnecessarily 

 large, and though practically most of them rarely, if ever, attend, yet no in- 

 convenience has been alleged to have risen from the number; and the com- 

 mittee are aware that there may be some advantage in retaining in the hands 

 of Government, a certain influence over the affairs of the Museum, which 

 may be exercised on special occasions ; yet if any Act of the Legislature 

 should ultimately be found necessary, a reduction in the number of this class 

 of trustees might not be unadvisable. 



4. That with regard to the existing elected trustees, the committee think 

 it very desirable that the trustees should take steps to ascertain whether 

 some of those whose attendance has been the most infrequent, might not be 

 willing to resign their trusteeships ; that, in future, it be understood, that 

 any trustee hereafter to be elected, not giving personal attendance at the 

 Museum, for a period to be fixed, is expected to resign his trusteeship ; be- 

 ing, however, re-eligible upon any future vacancy. 



5. That in filling up vacancies, it would be desirable that the electing trus- 

 tees should not in future lose sight of the fact, that an opportunity is thus 

 afforded them of occasionally conferring a mark of distinction upon men of 

 eminence in literature, science, and art. 



6. That the extension of the collections which has taken place, and the 

 still greater extension which may be looked for, render a further division of 

 departments necessary ; and that at the head of each department there be 

 placed a keeper, who shall be responsible for the arrangement, proper condi- 

 tion, and safe custody of the collection committed to his care. 



7. That it is desirable that the heads of each department shall meet once 

 in three months, for the purpose of consulting with reference to any matters 

 of detail relating to the internal arrangements of the Museum, which they 

 may desire jointly to submit to the trustees in writing. 



VOL. V. — NO. XVII. C 



