2G6 THE EAKLY HISTORY OF [CHAP. V. 



On May 17, 1804, a new proposal was made for the 

 advancement of science at the Eoyal Institution. A 

 special meeting of the managers and visitors was held, 

 and an address to the proprietors and subscribers was 

 read and approved, and ordered to be circulated, re- 

 specting the formation of a mineralogical collection and 

 an assay office on a large scale for the improvement of 

 mineralogy and metallurgy. 



The Hon. O. F. Greville, Sir J. St. Aubyn, Sir A. 

 Hume, proposed to raise a fund of 4,000. to arrange a 

 collection in a manner which should exhibit all the 

 interesting series of mineralogical facts ; and they pro- 

 posed to establish an assay office, to be exclusively 

 employed for the advancement of mineralogy and 

 metallurgy. They thought that the whole time of 

 a mineralogist of considerable talent would be em- 

 ployed ; and that the continued attention of a chemist 

 of approved abilities would be required. 



It was proposed that a mineralogical institution 

 like the library institution should be united to the 

 Royal Institution. 



The address relating to the formation of this economic 

 museum ended thus : ' The proprietors and subscribers 

 may be assured that the managers and visitors will never 

 consider their labours as finished, while there remains 

 any effort to be made for the diffusion and useful appli- 

 cation of practical science in this country. They would 

 indeed have deemed themselves extremely culpable if 

 there had been any delay or neglect on their part in 

 submitting to the consideration of their members, and 

 of the public, a plan which promises essentially to 



