MiisciDti-flistory and Museums of History. 77 



they are to physical science, their most enthusiastic friend dares not 

 hope. The two departments of science are too unhke. 



The historian studies events and their causes; the naturahst studies 

 oljjects and the forces by which their existence is determined. The 

 naturahst may assemble in a museum objects from every quarter of the 

 globe and from every period of the earth's history. Much of his work 

 is devoted to the observation of finished structure, and for this purpose 

 his specimens are at all times read3^ When, however, he finds it neces- 

 sary to study his subject in other aspects, he may have recourse to the phys- 

 ical, chemical, and physiological laboratories, the zoological and botanical 

 gardens, and aquaria, which shovild form a part of every perfect museum 

 system. Here, almost at will, the phenomena of nature may be scruti- 

 nized and confirmed by repeated observation, while studies impractica- 

 ble in the nursery may usually be made by members of its staff, who 

 carry its appliances with them to the seashore or to distant lands. 



The requirements of the historian are very different. Nevertheless, I 

 am confident that the museum may be made in his hands a most potent 

 instrumentality for the promotion of historical studies. Its value is per- 

 haps less fuU}^ realized than it would be were it not that so many of 

 its functions are performed by the library. In the library may be found 

 descriptive catalogues of all the great museums, and books by the 

 hundred, copiously illustrated with pictures of the objects preserved in 

 museums. A person trained to use books may by their aid reap the 

 advantage of many museums without the necessity of a visit to one. 



The exhibition series would be proportionately larger in an historical 

 than in a natural-history museum. The study series of a historical 

 museum would mostly be arranged in the form of a library, except in 

 some special departments, such as numismatics, and when a library is 

 near might be entirely dispensed with. 



The adoption of museum methods would be of advantage to the his- 

 torian in still another way, by encouraging the preservation of historical 

 material not at present sought for by librarians, and by inducing present 

 owners of such material to place it on exhibition in public museums. 



Although there is not in existence a general museum of history 

 arranged on the comprehensive plan adopted by natural-history museums, 

 there are still many historical collections of limited scope, which are all 

 that could be asked, and more. 



The value to the historian of archaeological collections, historic and 

 prehistoric, has long l3een understood. The museums of lyondon, Paris, 

 Berlin, and Rome need no comment. In Cambridge, New York, and 

 Washington are immense coUectiotis of the remains of man in America 

 in the pre-Columbian period — collections which are yearty growing in 

 significance, as they are made the subject of investigation, and there is 

 an immense amount of material of this kind in the hands of institutions 

 and private collectors in all parts of the United States. 



