CH.IV FLOWER'S PREDECESSOR 53 



Every institution like the Hunterian Museum 

 has its eras and phases of development, conditioned 

 partly by the limits of knowledge at the time, partly 

 by the particular branches in which work is going 

 on most keenly at the moment, and what in less 

 serious pursuits would be called the "fashion" of 

 the day. The particular sphere in which the head 

 of the Museum more especially shines and is 

 interested will also naturally come to the front 

 during the period of his charge. Sir William's 

 immediate predecessor, Mr. Ouekett, was a very 

 eminent microscopist, and devoted to his work ; but 

 he only held the appointment for five years. 1 



Sir Richard, then Professor Owen, who had 

 previously controlled the fortunes of the Museum, 

 was by bent and acquirements an osteologist and 

 palaeontologist, but except in strictly popular lectures 

 appealed to the scientific public mainly. 



Flower was in feeling somewhat democratic and 

 very practical. As a surgeon he belonged by 

 position and inclination to a progressive science ; 

 and though he relinquished the active practice of 

 that art on his appointment to the charge of John 

 Hunter's Museum, he steadily addressed himself 

 to providing material for its advancement, and 

 to arranging this in such a form as might shorten 

 the labour, and stimulate rather than weary the 

 brain of all earnest workers in the field. To attain 

 this end he deemed no thought too continuous and 



1 His name and memory are preserved by the Quekett Microscopical Club. 



