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in which they are employed. And a similar plan might be 

 adopted in every Museum, suited to the particular collections 

 which it contains. Little gleanings of knowledge obtained in 

 this way have the effect of stirring up the mind to further 

 inquiries — either at home by the help of books, or in the fields 

 by interrogation of nature herself. 



In suggesting the above principles for the formation of local 

 Museums, that I may not be supposed to set up my own 

 judgment alone in this matter, it may be well to state that the 

 same principles have been inculcated by men occupying a high 

 position in the natural sciences, and that they are becoming 

 yearly more and more assented to, as well as acted upon. Two 

 other Professors, Forbes and Phillips, besides Henslow, have 

 raised their voices against suffering our local Museums to become 

 mere depositaries of whatever can be got together by gift or 

 purchase, " until a heterogeneous assemblage of natural objects 

 is amassed," serving no purpose beyond that of furnishing 

 amusement for an idle hour, innocent amusement no doubt, but 

 teaching nothing, — adding nothing to our real knowledge of 

 nature. The late Edward Forbes, in a letter written in 1852 to 

 the late Dr. Drew, of Southampton, " On the subject of Museums 

 and the teaching of the Natural Sciences," after speaking of 

 lectures, says : — " Much may be done in the way of imparting 

 knowledge (of Natural History) by Museum arrangements alone, 

 but very rarely do we find this systematically attempted. 

 Provincial Museums are too often ambitious attempts at general 

 collections, and, necessarily, failures. Too many of them are 

 little better than curiosity shops. In their best aspect they are, 

 with very few exceptions, far more costly and far less useful 

 than they ought to be. I would have a provincial Natural 

 History Museum (he adds), to consist of three departments, for 

 which three spacious rooms, if properly constructed, would 

 suffice :— 1. A local collection, illustrative of the zoology, botany, 

 and geology of the county or district. This, if done with 



