78 MEMOIR OF JOHN HUNTER. 



mises of the College of Surgeons, in which the 

 mnseum was eventually deposited, were not ready 

 for its reception, it was not removed thither till the 

 year 1800, and many years elapsed before it was 

 in a state for exhibition. At the first transfer of 

 the Collection, Sir Everard, who was then also ap- 

 pointed principal keeper of the Museum, ordered 

 the manuscripts to be removed to his private dwell- 

 ing, alleging they were not properly arranged, nor 

 in a fit state for public inspection. No sooner was 

 the museum suitably accommodated, than it became 

 an object with the Trustees appointed by Govern- 

 ment, to have a descriptive catalogue prepared, the 

 materials of which were to be found in the ma- 

 nuscripts in Sir Everard's possession. The Trustees 

 accordingly intimated their desires to Sir Everard, 

 who for a long while evaded compliance, under a va- 

 riety of pretexts, notwithstanding that for years the 

 Trustees never met without dispatching an additional 

 and more urgent demand. After having been long 

 principal keeper, Sir Everard himself became a Trus- 

 tee ; but all the efforts of his colleagues, many of 

 whom were his intimate friends, to procure the ma- 

 nuscripts, continued to be wholly abortive, till at last 

 Sir Everard with his own hand secretly, but most 

 deliberately, committed nearly the whole of them to 

 the flames, and reduced them to ashes. 



The motives which prompted to this most unworthy 

 deed are soon told. Besides being the brother-in-law 

 and pupil of Mr Hunter, to whom in a great degree 



