The Oxford Museum. 28-5 



— is men inheriting the instincts of their craft through many ge- 

 nerations — informed and refined, — then classed according- to their 

 proud capacities in ordered companies, in which every man shall 

 know his part and take it calmly," — the capital of flowers satisfies 

 us that we have workmen who, if properly trained and judiciously 

 praised, may emulate what was done at Roslin or at Melrose, where 



No herb nor floweret glistened there 



But was carved in the cloister arches as fair. 



[Professor Philips continues : — " Thus as far as possible the 

 representation of plants, varied here and there by animals geogra- 

 phically and naturally associated with them, will be placed with 

 so much of system as to help the memo y. and will be sculptured 

 with so much attention to the- natural habit as to satisfy the bota- 

 nist as well as the artist, neither of whom can expect the mosl 

 skilful human hand to express in rough stone by means of hard 

 steel all the delicacy and grace with which, by finer materials and 

 by finer processes, the Great Artificer moulds the lilies of the 

 field and the leaves of the forest. I need not remind you, that 

 with this view of the utility and meaning of the arrangement of 

 oor subjects, the architects, who have been very zealous in their 

 efforts to make the whole successful, have been always able to 

 combine what is due to the building as a work of art ; nor am I 

 aware that their opinion and ours have been in the least degree 

 difficult to reconcile. We must not forget the sculptors, who 

 have worked with singular zeal and ability. Finally, this is not 

 a haphazard collection of pretty stones crowned by pretty flowers, 

 but a selection of marbles and sculptures intended to illustrate 

 points of some interest and importance in science and art. Upon 

 the whole, you will probably not regrel to have given so much 

 time and attention to this matter. All that is told me confirms 

 my own opinion, that it was well worth while to make this trial 

 to combine grace with utility, and that the result will not 1"' dis- 

 appointment to those who have given us money for our work, and, 

 what is more precious, their full confidence thai we should use it 

 with liberality and prudence." 



A series of sculptured portraits gives the crown to the building. 

 These have been worthily entrusted to Mr. Thomas Woolner and 

 Mr. Munro, who have entered on the work with zeal, and, we re- 

 gret to learn, with self-sacrifice. Great Verulara, starry Galileo, 

 Newton, Leibnitz, and Oerstead, have fallen to the lot of Mr. 



