286 



far as to say, that to the exertions of Dr. Aquilla Smith and Mr. Petrie, 

 their intimate knowledge of the contents and value of the Collection, 

 and their good offices with the family of the Dean, the Academy 

 and the country are mainly indebted for the possession of the trea- 

 sures which have been added to our Museum. 



" Still, ^however, the subscriptions for some time came in so 

 slowly, that it became necessary to solicit more time for collecting 

 the money than was originally agreed upon ; and this request was 

 acceded to by Mrs. Dawson, with a liberality for which she deserves 

 the gratitude and the thanks of the Academy. 



" At length on the 9th of April of the present year, the first in- 

 stalment of £500 was paid to Mrs. Dawson, and the Collection was 

 soon after removed to the Academy House, under the superinten- 

 dence of Dr. Aquilla Smith. 



" A guarantee for the paj'ment of the remaining half of the 

 purchase money having been given to Mrs. Dawson by certain sub- 

 scribers to the fund, the Antiquities were at first placed under the 

 custody of those gentlemen ; who bound themselves to hand over 

 the Collection to the Committee as soon as the debt for which they 

 had made themselves responsible was discharged. 



" On the 3 1st May the whole remainder of the purchase money 

 was paid to Mrs. Dawson, and the gentlemen who had so liberally 

 come forward to guarantee its discharge were released from their 

 obligation. It was found also, that after the payment of all the 

 incidental expenses, a balance remained at that time in favour of the 

 fund to the amount of £24 175. 6d. This balance was subsequently 

 increased by some subscriptions that afterwards came in, and the 

 whole overplus has been applied, under the direction of the Com- 

 mittee, to the purchase of some valuable antiquities, w hich have been 

 added to the Collection. 



" In recording this last stage of the proceedings of the Com- 

 mittee it is necessary to remark, that but for the public spirit of the 

 individuals who came forward to give their personal security to 

 Mrs. Dawson for the payment of the purchase money, all would 

 have been lost, and the Museum would necessarily have been sent 

 for public sale to London. For although at that time the stipulated 

 sum had been very nearly promised, yet many of those who had put 



