LIFE OF FLOWER 85 



this arrangement being common to other institutions of 

 a like nature. 



At the special recommendation of the Trustees, the 

 Treasury, when Sir William reached the age for 

 retirement, according to Civil Service rules, extended 

 his term of office for three years. A lengthened period 

 of physical weakness and prostration rendered it, 

 however, impossible for Flower to avail himself of 

 the whole of this extension, and in July 1898 the state 

 of his health was such that he felt himself compelled 

 to send in his resignation. 



When this resignation was accepted by the Standing 

 Committee of the Trustees of the Museum, a special 

 Minute, signed by Lord Dillon, gave expression to the 

 regret felt by that body and the Trustees generally at 

 the retirement of Sir William, to whom every 

 compliment was paid as a worthy successor of Sir 

 Richard Owen, and as one who had done so much 

 towards the re-organisation of a museum pre-eminent 

 amongst institutions of its kind. 



To enter upon the relations of Flower to his 

 subordinates in the Museum is treading upon somewhat 

 delicate ground ; it may be safely affirmed, however, 

 that to those who were in full sympathy and accord with 

 his way of looking at things and his schemes for the 

 general advancement and improvement of the institution 

 under his charge, no truer friend or kinder master 

 could possibly have been found. Owing to the fact 

 that the time of the permanent officials of the museum 

 is for the most part fully occupied in working out the 

 store collections, and registering and, when necessary, 

 describing new acquisitions, Sir William soon found 



