MUSEUMS. 311 
the rare and valuable productions which are found 
in far distant parts of the globe. 
When I visit Leeds, I generally spend an hour in 
Calvert’s Museum, where I never fail to be highly 
gratified. Mr. Calvert is a gun-maker of the first 
order. I am always lost in admiration when I cast 
my eyes on the vast collection of treasure which 
this lover of the arts has brought into the spacious 
and well-proportioned apartment, built at his own 
expense, and arranged after his own plan. In con- 
versing with him on the habits of those animals 
which have come under his own immediate notice, 
I perceive something so true, so pertinent, and so 
straightforward in_his observations, that I always 
feel regret when I see by my watch it is time for 
me to depart. 
It has been remarked by some, who have con- 
versed with me on this new process of preparing 
specimens for museums, that it would take up too 
much time. I am not aware that this would be the 
case ; for he who is solely occupied in preparing 
specimens would always contrive to have several on 
hand at one and the same time. But, even granting 
that a great portion of his time were spent upon a 
single animal; is not one good specimen worth 
twenty bad ones? Who would fill his gallery full 
of Holland toys, when he has it in his power to 
place there statues of the first workmanship ? 
Indifferent specimens are admitted into museums 
only because better cannot be procured: and better 
will never be procured, until a radical change be 
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