Notice of British Naturalists. 145 



derfully made^ as may beget wonder and amazement in any be- 

 holder," &c. The Dodo was preserved in this collection, Mr. 

 Ashmole presented the whole to the University of Oxford, where 

 it still remains; and it has of late been much enlarged by the 

 munificence of its present Curator, Mr. Duncan. 



The next collection was Dr. Woodward's, which became the 

 foundation of Sir Hans Sloane's; and the whole was purchased, 

 in 1753, by the British Parliament, and is now known as the Brit- 

 ish Museum. Another collection, once mucli celebrated, was tliat 

 in possession of Sir Ashton Lever,* who died in 17SS, and which 

 was sold by auction in lots, and dispersed in IS06. 



But still museums Averc very far from being common or popular 

 in any part of Europe. London was, at the period we refer to, as 



now, a place of general resort for scientific men, and a large num- 



ber of such persons were collected there. The celebrated Bishop 

 Horsley, the learned and able antagonist of Dr. Priestley, was an 

 active member of the Royal Society. Sir Joseph Banks, possess- 

 ing the advantages not only of great abilities, but of fortune and 

 a high station in society, constantly exerted himself in this cause. 

 He and his friends, convinced that without extensive collections 

 it is very difficult, if not altogether impossible^ to make any great 

 progress in Natural History, were diligently employed in forming 

 Societies, and in collecting specimens for examination from differ- 

 ent countries. The eminent men of that day, likewise deeply felt 

 the importance of bringing together those who pursue the same 

 studies, and they understood that, especially in physics, union is 

 power; that the first thoughts and more transient discoveries of 

 individuals, made known to a circle of scientific friends, may, and 

 often do, both save the labor of many, and draw out the energies 

 of many more, and that particular subjects being alloted to differ- 

 ent observers, on the principle of the division of labor, tlie ex-, 

 aminations are more exact and av^ailing. The Royal Society 

 had already proved the advantages of such meetings. We owe 

 very much to the publication of their ^ Trayisactions^^ in which, 

 each contributing a httle, where otherwise none would have 

 contributed at all, the result is an immense mass of facts, thoughts, 

 and experiments- And indeed the British Association for the Ad- 



Ac. lSOS-6 



Vol. I, by B.Silliman. 



—July, 1839, Via. ID 



