72 MEMOIR OF 



articles it contained, was read by Mr James 

 Empson, who had taken care of the museum for 

 many years past, and was then appointed secre- 

 tary to the trustees. Sir George Lyttleton then 

 moved, and Mr West seconded, that a memorial 

 should be presented to his Majesty relating to 

 this mattet* ; and a committee was appointed to 

 draw up the same."* 



The result was, that Parliament immediately 

 closed with the offer; and, in 1753, an act was 

 passed, entitled, " An Act for the purchase of the 

 Museum or Collection of Sir Hans Sloane, Bart, 

 and of the Harleian collection of MSS. and for 

 procuring one general repository for the better 

 reception and more convenient use of the said 

 collection, and of the Cottonian library in addi- 

 tion thereto." 



By this act, the sum of 100,000 was ordered 

 to be raised by a lottery, and certain great officers 

 of state, together with private individuals as 

 representatives of the families of the principal 

 contributors, and others, were incorporated by 

 the name of " Trustees for the British Museum."f 



* Gentleman's Magazine, January, 1753. 



t The Government of the British Museum is at present 

 Tested in forty-eight trustees, of whom twenty-three are 

 ex-officio,mr}e are representatives of the families of Sloane, 

 Cotton, Harley, Townley, Elgin, and Knight ; one is 

 appointed by the King, and fifteen are elected. The 



