MEMOIR OF JOHN HUNTER. 77 



by an annual festival, at which one of its most dis- 

 tinguished members pronounces THE HUNTERIAN 

 ORATION. 



We lament that justice to Mr Hunter's reputa- 

 tion forbids us to close our notice, without making 

 some observations on a very painful subject, deep- 

 ly involving the character of a near relative of Mr 

 Hunter, who has frequently been named in these 

 pages, and who long maintained a high and honou- 

 rable status in society. We have stated that the 

 museum was purchased by the British Government 

 for the public benefit. By his will, Mr Hunter 

 left Dr M. Baillie and Mr, afterwards Sir Eve- 

 rard, Home, his executors, with instructions, that if 

 Government would make offer to purchase the col- 

 lection at any thing like a fair valuation, the offer 

 should be accepted. Accordingly the purchase was 

 effected for the sum of L. 15,000; and subsequent 

 grants were voted, one of an additional L. 15,000 

 in 1806, and another of L. 12,500 in 1810, for a 

 building for its suitable accommodation. 



At the time of Mr Hunter's death, as we have al- 

 ready seen, the Collection contained upwards of 

 14,000 preparations and drawings, and also what 

 may well be styled a prodigious quantity of manu- 

 scripts, the great majority of which related to the 

 museum, being voluminous notes in Mr Hunter's 

 own handwriting, and also the labours of several 

 amanuenses, who for many years had been in the 

 habit of writing under his direction. As the pre- 



