— 46 — 



than his own — he therefore resigned the class and devoted 

 himself exclusively to his post as Curator of the Museum. 



And yet, nearly all his requests to Government from 

 the urgent needs of the Museum were refused. Nearly 

 all the expenses were paid by the Society whose financial 

 condition was then prosperous. Mr Boyer's projects of 

 making exchanges with foreign Societies could not be 

 carried out as he had hoped. lie fell as it were into a 

 state of discouragement, — his illusions were dispelled. He 

 seldom afterwards visited the Museum ; his illness slight 

 at first, suddenly took a serious turn, and in May 1856, 

 the worthy and learned botanist breathed his last. He 

 was succeeded by Mr L. Bouton in jmie following. 



When Mr Bouton took over the charge, he received 

 no official instructions. The Museum remaiued on the 

 same footing with a Curator and a Taxidermist, neglected 

 by Government without any signs of sympathy from the 

 public — a few visitors came now and then — except on the 

 days of the distributions of prizes when a general rush 

 was made as the risk of breaking the glass panes of the 

 presses and of causing a falling of the flooring of the 

 upper story. 



It was on the arrival of Sir Henry Barkly that a 

 marked change could be noticed — as I have already men- 

 tioned, the establishment consisted only of a Cui-ator and 

 Taxidermist, whose salaries were paid by the Society and 

 the Government ; on the impulsion given to it by that 

 distinguished man who loved and cultivated the sciences, 

 the Museum assumed in appearance and in reality the 

 character of a department. Additional assistance was 

 obtained by the Curator, and a more liberal grant was 

 made for the salaries of the "■ employes " and the petty 

 expenses usually termed contingencies. Works projected 

 by Boyeij but which he had not been able to execute were 



