IV. RETROSPECT 



Before leaving this wonderful collection, let us take 

 a comprehensive view of its treasures. We must go 

 from room to room, for shells fill the house and threaten 

 to force the owners out of doors. This collection has 

 been the engrossing life-work of an indomitable woman 

 and the Mecca of shell-lovers. Now, it awaits a place 

 in the halls of some great museum, there to take its 

 part in the world's work and the world's play, — an 

 enduring monument to industry, perseverance and 

 love of beauty. Look again at these twenty-six thou- 

 sand specimens — at the Spondylus regius and Conus 

 gloria-maris, the Pleurotomaria, the Cypraeas and 

 Pectens and Volutas, the polished Unios, the Harpas, 

 the land shells, the tiny Marginellas and the Mitras, 

 the Murices and Strombs, the Veneridae and Limpets, 

 the thousand and one other treasures from ocean, lake 

 and river! The beauty and rarity of the specimens 

 appeal to us anew and we marvel again at this splendid 

 result of individual effort. 



Then, in fancy, the narrow parlors open out into 

 long galleries of shining cases, over which bend young 

 and old, rich and poor, an ever-changing throng. It 

 is a vision that should become a reality and make this 

 work of one the heritage of many. Here is a worthy 

 gift for a great institution, commemorative alike of 

 maker and donor. May Heaven speed the generous 

 thought that shall embrace the opportunity thus wor- 

 thily to place The Williams Collection of Shells. 



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