34 ON NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS. 



itself, inevitably degenerate. The tender care of the Curator 

 is needed incessantly. The Rev. H. H. Higgins, who was for 

 so many years the enthusiastic honorary Curator of the Liverpool 

 Museum, well said that "the Curator is the soul of the 

 museum" — a sentiment endorsed by most authorities on museum 

 organization. Yet how often does it happen that as we pass 

 through a well- arranged museum we forget the Curator ! The 

 visitor seems usually to think that the specimens are able to 

 shuffle about and arrange themselves in scientific order. But if 

 in the midst of an orderly arrangement there should be some 

 small part of the collection in an unsatisfactory condition, the 

 Curator is then by no means forgotten. In accordance with the 

 common tendency of human criticism, we are apt to overlook 

 the bulk of the collection in all its fair aspect, and centre our 

 attention on the disfiguring speck. 



However devoted and however smart a Curator may be, he 

 finds it impossible to make bricks without straw. In order that 

 his museum may be in creditable condition, he needs all the neat 

 appliances which are now in the market for mounting and 

 displaying specimens ; he needs the best books of reference for 

 the identification of the objects which pass through his hands ; 

 he requires assistance at least to carry out such mechanical 

 details as mounting and labelling. Above all, the cases and 

 cabinets in the museum must be of the best construction, so as to 

 protect their contents from dust and other sources of deterioration. 

 If we have any regard for our collection, it will be found the 

 worst possible policy to buy cheap cabinets. Taking all this 

 into consideration, a museum is often denounced as an expensive 

 fad. Never was there a greater mistake ; it is not a fad, and 

 considering its value to the community it is not expensive. " If 

 you compare its cost with that of any other part of our 

 educational machinery, I maintain," said Mr. Charles Madeley, 

 " that it is exceedingly cheap." 48 



Admitting the value of Museums, under certain conditions, 

 objection has sometimes been taken to their multiplication. It 

 has been held that in proportion as they become common they 

 will cease to be impressive. We in London surely cannot want 

 them. What need can there be to have small Museums in 

 or near the metropolis, when we have the doors of the 



48 " District Museums." Museums Journal vol. IV. (1904). p. 117. 



