May 17, 19 1 7] 



NATURE 



235 



and, under the persuasion of Ashmok, published a 

 catalogue of the whole collection. Although this cata- 

 logue appeared under Tradescant's name, allusions in 

 the preface and the n^ore definite statement of John 

 Evelyn, "printed in his catalogue by Mr. Ashmole," 

 make it almost certr.in that Ashmole was not only the 

 instigator but also part compiler and editor of this, 

 the first English, catalogue of a natural history 

 museum. The keen interest Ashmole took in the col- 

 lections would explain why Tradescant should have 

 drawn up a deed of gift in 1659 making over the 

 whole cabinet of rarities at his death to his friend, 

 who, in 1674, after twelve years of controversy and 

 litigation with the widow, moved the collections to 

 his house in South Lambeth, where they uere so 

 carefully and methodically preserved as to elicit praise 

 from Izaak Walton. 



In 1677 Ashmole offered the whole collection, with 

 the additions he had made to it, to the University of 

 Oxford, on condition that a suitable building was pro- 

 vided for their display. His offer was accepted, a 

 museum was built, the rarities were "put up in cases," 

 and on March 14, 1683, the last loads " were sent to 

 the barge " for transport to Oxford, and Ashmole 

 '"relapsed into the gout." 



The preamble to his statutes, orders, and rules for 

 the governance of his museum shows clearly that his 

 intention was to provide the University with a museum 

 of natural history, which should be primarily a scien- 

 tific institution and not a "knick-knackatory," or a col- 

 lection of historical relics and antiquities, such as has 

 now come to be exclusively associated with his name 

 at the New Ashmolean Museum, of which Sir Arthur 

 Evans was the practical founder. The advancement 

 of natural knowledge was Ashmole's first object; the 

 accumulation of objects of art was not his purpose 

 except in so far as those art objects served to illustrate 

 the application of natural products. The preamble 

 runs as follows : — ■ 



" Because the knowledge of Nature is very necessarie 

 to humaine life, health, and the conveniences thereof, 

 and because that knowledge cannot be soe well and 

 usefully attain 'd, except the history of Nature be 

 knowne and considered ; and to this is requisite the 

 ins{>ection of particulars, especially those as are extra- 

 ordinary in their Fabrick, or usefull in Medicine, or 

 applyed to Manufacture or Trade : I, Elias Ashmole, 

 out of my affection to this sort of Learning, wherein 

 myselfe have taken, and still doe take, the greatest 

 delight; forw'ii cause also, I have amass 'd together 

 great variety of naturall Concretes and Bodies, and be- 

 stowed them on the University of Oxford, wherein my 

 selfe have been a student, and of which I have the 

 honor to be a Member. Lest there should be any mis- 

 construction of my intendment, or deteriorating of my 

 donation, I have thought good, according to the Acts 

 of Convocation, bearing date Jun : 4 : A" 1683 and 

 Sept : 19 : Ano 1684, to appoint, constitute, and ordaine 

 as follows." Then follow eighteen orders. 



Order 6 is an example of his judicious foresight. It 

 enacts "That whatsoever raturall Body that is ven.' 

 rare, whether Birds Insects, Fishes, or the like, apt 

 to putrefie and decave with tyme shall be painted in a 

 faire Velom Folio Booke, either with water-colors, or 

 at least design 'd in black and white, by some good 

 Master, with reference to the description of the Body 

 itself e, and the Mention of the Donor in the Catalogue; 

 wch Booke shall be in the Custody of the Keeper of 

 the Musaeum under Lock and key." 



In these days of cheap photography the execution 

 of this order would be a simple matter. Order 7 

 provides for the ex'^hange or donation of duplicates, 

 and by Order 8 old specimens ara to be removed to 

 cupboards. 



NO. 2481, VOL. 99] 



The new building was constructed so as to include a 

 lecture-room and a chemical laboratory, and for more than 

 a century and a half it was the centre of scientific life in 

 Oxford. For the further advancement of science Ash- 

 mole founded the first chair of chemistry in Oxford, 

 and Robert Plot was appointed first Ashmolean pro- 

 fessor, and also keeper to the museum. Unfortunately 

 the founder's schemes for the adequate advancement of 

 his favourite subjects were longer than his purse, and 

 he did not live long enough to collect sufficient capital 

 endowment to put the new professorship upon a per- 

 manent footing. 



Ashmole is no: likely to be forgotten in Oxford, yet 

 the destiny that so often militates against just recogni- 

 tion in science has brought it about that his name, the 

 museum and officers he created, are no longer used in 

 accordance with his c«-iginal ordinances. The museum 

 in which he took so much pride no longer exists a^ 

 such; even the knick-knacks to which his name is 

 attached can no longer be seen in the buiWing which 

 he persuaded the University to provide; the old Ash- 

 molean building, sadly in need of repair, is degraded 

 to class-rooms, offices, and book stores; the greater 

 part of the scientific specimens which he so great!, 

 valued have been destroyed, and the few fragment- 

 that remain distributed; and Ashmole's keeper, relieved 

 of the duties that were put upon him by the founder in 

 respect of the natural history collections, is now in 

 charge solelv of the few curiosities which did not in 

 Ashmole's opinion constitute the central feature of his 

 museum. 



A fitting commemoration of his name is to lay stress 

 upon the fact that he was one of the pioneers of scien- 

 tific education in England, that he earnestlv endeav- 

 oured to promote learning, and that it is only by an 

 error that his name has survived a-, a collector of 

 curious antiquities. Of the old Tradescant and .Ash- 

 mole collection some score or two of zoological speci- 

 mens have survived from the seventeenth century. It 

 is to be hoped that they may once more be brought 

 together in accordance with their donors' wishes and 

 their great historic value. 



R. T. GUNTHER. 



PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND NATURE STUDY. 

 'T'HE unusual interest attaching to the report of the 

 ^ Rugby School Natural History Society for the 

 year 1916 warrants our directing attention to the 

 great service which our public schools mav render to 

 the cause of natural science. It is the jubilee number 

 and in addition to the usual features contains much 

 other matter of exceptional interest. Special mention 

 may be made of the racy and valuable pap>er bv Canon 

 Wilson, of Worcester, in which his personal Veminis"- 

 cences of the early history of the society, and, indeed, 

 of the prehistoric period, are set forth with much 

 humour and enthusiasm. 



Though the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of 

 the society was celebrated in March last, thus carry- 

 ing us back to the year 1867 — the tercentenarv of the 

 school — yet we learn that work on similar lines to 

 those which the society follows to-day was carried 

 on for some years previously. The geological museum 

 dates from the time of Dr. Arnold. Canon Wilson 

 went to Rugby as a master in 1850, and found a large 

 collection of dusty and unnamed sp>ecimens in the 

 .Arnold Library. But one goes back yet another decade, 

 and finds the year 1849 specially worthy of note. It was 

 then that Dr. Sharp, a resident medical man. gave 

 the first lectures on natural philosophy. Rugby School 

 thus proclaims itself,^ not abreast, but in advance, of 

 public opinion in regard to the position which natural 

 science ought to occupy in liberal education. 



