ANTHROPOLOGICAL MUSEUM. 



263 



spaces 1, 2, 3, 4. Those latter would be few in number toward the 

 center, where peoples are simple and arts arc few (a, A), and numerous 

 farther out, where peoples are advanced and activities arc numerous ( 1 . 

 2, 3, 4). To study a particular people, the visitor would follow the 

 concentric lines (a, b; 1, 2, 3, 4), examining' each of the activities of 

 that people in turn. To study a particular grade of culture the world 

 over, lie would follow the same plan. To study a particular branch of 

 culture in all its phases, he would pass from center to circumference, 

 noting what each people had done in that branch (.1. />, (_\ D). In 

 doing this he would ascend the culture ladder from the lowest to the 

 highest round, traversing the full range of human accomplishment in 

 the various activities. At the same time, if the exhibits were numer- 

 ous and properly arranged, he could form a fair idea of what the race 



Fig. 4. — Concentric arrangement of entire ethnological exhibit. 



as a whole had accomplished, following the development of culture 

 from beginning to end. 



This seems at first glance a most complete and comprehensive scheme, 

 for fully worked out it would present the peoples of the world, their 

 activities and history, in a single view. But on closer inspection it 

 is found to have numerous shortcomings, apparently unfitting it for 

 general museum use. (1) In applying it the important factor of the 

 relations of peoples to one another in the world and to their environ- 

 ment must be disregarded; (2) the question of the order of the ethnic 

 units would be difficult to settle, since many peoples are of one grade 

 or nearly the same grade, while some occupy various grades in part; 

 that is, a tribe or nation may be advanced in one direction or activity, 

 calling for an outer place on that account, and backward in another, 

 calling for an inner place; (3) such a grouping would be unsatisfac- 

 tory save where collections were comprehensive and full; (4) a build- 

 ing of unusual design and dimensions would be required; (5) a most 

 serious objection is that this concentric arrangement of a comprehen- 



