Plan for erecting Buildings for National ColleTstions-. ^"Iff 



Museum, though it mnj' have been cou- 

 vcnient to make tlie use thiit has boci) 

 made of the buildings existing tiiere, 

 while collections were in tlieir iiilancj', 



1824.] 



attempt j for a speculation it must be. As 

 to any connexion with the present existin<; 

 Book Society, liulhei- than supplying; it 

 with hooks, s!;oiiM he be enabled to do 

 that to Us advantage, I feel decidedly 

 averse to such a conibiuation. 



Funchal ; C. Heinekbn. 



Sept. 4, 1823. 



I am of opinion, that the object the £;en- 

 tleman has in view cimld never be realized 

 in a plate like Madeira, where the iinni- 

 ber of persons who would contribute to 

 its promotion is so very limited. 



GeoRGI! SXOnDART. 



I have always been of opinion (and 

 particularly as it accords with my wishes,) 

 that the Funchal Book Society wnnhl 

 eventually become some such establish- 

 ment as is alluded to; I am oi' opinion, 

 therefore, that it might succeed, but not 

 with so small a subscription as four or five 

 dollars: and I know I am not singular in 

 this opinion. W. Miller. 



Had the intended plan been brought 

 into operation before the establishment of 

 the Book Society, it would liave ansvvered 

 belter; but, combining the sale of good sta- 

 tionery, book-binding, &c. with the rooms 

 and library, at a moderate subscription, and 

 liaving the rooms very near the Custom- 

 house, it would prove an accommodation 

 to many at present shut out from books, 

 and it would answer to some extent in the 

 way of profit. The British residents are 

 few (say 300), and few of the Portuguese 

 read. W. Nichoi.l, m.d. 



I am clearly of opinion, that the pro- 

 poser of this plan woidd be entirely dis- 

 appointed in liis expectations. 



Henry Lundie. 



Do. do. do. Andrew Wardrop. 



Do. do. do. Henry H. Tesiple. 

 HJadtira; Sept, 27, 18ii3. 



Fur the Monthb) Magazine, 



OBSF.KVATIONS OIlt/lKVLANfoi- ERECTING 

 AOniTIONAL I5U1LDI\GS for the NA- 

 TIONAL COLLECTIONS, on i/jC PUEMISES 

 of the liUlTIbH MUSEUM. 



raillEUE can be little doubt but lliat 

 i the treasures in sculpture and 

 in paiiiling which are possessed by indi- 

 viduals in England, (to an extent far 

 beyond wiiat exists in any otlier coun- 

 try) art;, from being beyond the rcacli 

 of the public, of no pereeiitibic intlu- 

 ence on general taste or talents ; that 

 the Cartoons at Hampton Court are 

 not known in any degree corrcspnnding 

 with their merits; and lliat the visitors 

 of the liritish Museum are in a very un- 

 favourable piojiortion with the num- 

 bers who erowd to the IJrilish IiLstilu- 

 lion, and indeed to other exhibitions 

 similarly situated. NfoM it is quite oh- 

 viou.s, that the site of the Britisii 



vyouJd certainly not otherwise have beojir 

 selected, and ought not to be coiifinneJ 

 as the great national deposit; for it is 

 less of a public resort than any other- 

 part of the metropolis; it is no thorough- 

 fare ; it has no attraction, cither on the 

 score of business or of fashion; and it is 

 exposed ill every wind, more than any 

 other part of London, to the inconveni- 

 ence of its smoke; whereas the history 

 of the Britisii Institution is a particular 

 illustration of the principles which, 

 ought to be adopted, and the objects to 

 be aimed at, in the choice of local situa- 

 tion for a public collection: for, by 

 being placed in tiie most frequented; 

 and fashionable resort, it has shown how 

 much the fine arts may be appreciated, 

 and artists derive encouragement, from 

 the works of art being placed habitually 

 within the reach, and brought under the 

 observation, of the more euligjitened and 

 opulent classes of society in England. 

 And, when we refle.ct how eminently 

 Great Britain is distinguished by general, 

 and liberal education ; how much the 

 faculties of Englishmen are called into 

 action, by the habits, the pursuits, and 

 the political constitution, of the country, 

 —how variously fortunes are m?de, and 

 frequently, though gained with lionour 

 and credit, yet under circumstances 

 which leave the possessor little qualified 

 for judicious expenditure in matters of 

 taste, — how far, beyond other parts of 

 the world, money is here lavished on 

 works pf that description, whether for 

 private gratificatioji, or in commemora- 

 tion of the heroic deeds of our country- 

 men, and how mucli the success of our 

 manufactures depends on the superi- 

 ority of design ; — it does ajipear that, if 

 a standard of taste were placed wilhiit 

 the daily resorts of the most influential 

 classes of the community, refinement 

 would inevitably be promoted, and the 

 fine arts, instead of being at the mercy, 

 of every whimsical employer, and every 

 fantastii'al artist, would llouiish under 

 the guidance of an acknowledged con^ 

 trol, and call forth all the genius and 

 all the capacity that could be applied to 

 them. 



The testimony of all Europe sanc- 

 tions the conviction of the distinguislied 

 artists in onr own country, that the 

 British Museum already contains tlie 

 most favourable ground-work nny 

 where cxisling for the ibrmalion »i" ;i 

 I^utiunal 



