SECTION OF GRAPHIC ARTS. 307 



be realized also on this side of the water. It will, of course, be a long 

 time before we can hope to equal such great national collections as that 

 of the British Museum with its uncounted treasures, the French collec- 

 tion with its more than two millions of specimens, or the Print Cabinet 

 at Berlin with over a million and a half, but this conviction ought all 

 the more to spur us on to make at least a beginning as soon as possible, 

 more especially as the prices oi prints are going up with unpleasant 

 rapidity, and as a most favorable opportunity for such a beginning is 

 just now offering. In saying 'his I have in mind the Sewall collection, 

 which is for sale in New York, and which can be bought at a figure 

 representing about one-third of what would be its value if the speci- 

 mens composing it had to be bought in open market. The collection 

 contains about eighteen thousand prints, representing all periods and 

 schools, and is the result of forty years'' collecting. I would respect- 

 fully recommend that a special appeal be made to Congress to secure 

 this collection for the U. S. National Museum. 1 would furthermore 

 suggest that what is left of the Marsh collection, bought by Congress 

 in L849, be definitely turned over to the Section of Graphic Arts. Un- 

 fortunately the largest and most desirable parts of this collection, 

 including all the tine Diirers, Reinbrandts, etc., which the origiual 

 inventory enumerates, have unaccountably disappeared, but there still 

 remain several volumes of single prints, and, presumably, the various 

 gallery works, etc., belonging to it, which, if added to the present col- 

 lections ot the section, would considerably increase their interest. The 

 prints m question ought, however, to be taken out of the volumes into 

 which they have been pasted, and ought to be carefully examined and 

 mounted on separate sheets, so that they can be classified scientifically. 

 As at present arranged, these volumes are not much more than picture 

 hooks for the gratification of idle curiosity. 



In a print collection, the property of the people of the United States, 

 America ought, as a, matter of course, to receive tin? fullest share of 

 attention. It has been my constant endeavor, as before stated, to give- 

 due prominence to American art in the collection in my charge, and in 

 these efforts I have been liberally seconded by artists, publishers, and 

 others. But again, by mere reliance upon gifts, the aim to be followed 

 cannot lie reached, and this aim ought not to be less than to make the 

 division of Americana t he first of its kind among the insl itutions of the 

 United States, so thai all investigators may in the future turn to it with 

 the jusl expectation that here they will find the best and richest mate- 

 rial lor then' researches. It would seem possible to take an important 

 step towards the attainment of this end without cost to the nation as 

 represented through government. Under the copyright law two copies 

 of each copyrighted print, book,etc, are deposited in the Congressional 

 Library. I would respectfully recommend that Congress be asked to 

 pass a law directing that one copy of each copyrighted print, illus- 

 trated book, etc., now in the Congressional Library be turned over to 



