THIKTY-THIRD CONGRESS, 1853-55. 603 



Sir Eobert H. Insjlis, bart. ; Henry Hallam, Esq. ; William E. Hamilton, 

 Esq. ; the Duke of Sutherland ; the Right Hon. T. B. Macaulay ; William 

 Buekland, D. D., Dean of Westminster; tlie Right Hon. Sir David Dun- 

 das; the Eight Hon. H. Goulburn; the Marquis of Northampton. 



Complaints against the management of the institution 

 became so prevalent that, notwithstanding the mighty array 

 of elevated functionaries and illustrious literary and scien- 

 tific persons behind which it was entrenched, it became 

 necessary for the House of Commons to turn its attention 

 to it. 



On the 27th of March, 1835, it was ordered in the House 

 of Commons, "that a select committee be appointed to in- 

 quire into the condition, management, and affairs of the 

 British Museum," with power to send for persons and papers. 

 The committee consisted of thirty-three, including many of 

 the leading men of the House. 



The committee held nineteen meetings, and on the 6th of 

 August, 1835, reported a mass of testimony making a folio 

 volume of 623 pages. 



On the 11th of February, 1836, the subject was again taken 

 up, and became the occasion of a debate. Among other 

 complaints made by members, it was affirmed that the state- 

 ment made by Sir Humphry Davy was correct, "that the 

 Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, and the 

 Speaker of the House of Commons w^ere considered as the 

 real acting governors of the institution." A new committee 

 of fifteen was appointed, composed of distinguished persons, 

 and authorized to send for persons, papers, and records. It 

 held twenty-eight meetings, and reported to the House of 

 Commons on the 14th day of July, 1836. Certain improve- 

 ments were made in the condition of the institution, as the 

 result of these parliamentary proceedings. 



The public mind seems to have become again excited on 

 the subject, by complaints arising from the community and 

 from officers of the institution ; and in 1847 a royal commis- 

 sion was formed, consisting of four noblemen and eight com- 

 moners, all eminent persons. The}^ prosecuted their re- 

 searches with great diligence, and the result of their labors, 

 in 1850, was a folio volume of more than 1,000 pages. The 

 whole number of questions and answers is 10,933. The 

 chairman of the commission was the Earl of Ellesmere. He 

 presented an elaborate, full, and independent report. One 

 or two extracts may be read with advantage Dy those who 

 have the management of literary and scientific institutions: 



"Such a board of trustees, to any one who considers the individuals who 

 compose it, with reference to their rank, intelligence, and ability, would 

 give assurance rather than promise of the most unexceptionable, and, indeed, 



