268 THE EARLY HISTORY OF [CHAP. V. 



subscriptions, and that thanks should be given to them 

 'for the benefits which they had conferred upon the 

 Institution by suggesting the idea of a mineralogical 

 collection, and by showing that it will be practicable to 

 establish and to support it out of the funds of the 

 Institution.' 



In their answer the proposers said : 



We concur in your opinion that the space allotted for 

 minerals and the plan pursued by the managers, according to 

 the funds which the Institution can supply, will be found 

 equal to the illustration of very interesting courses of 

 mineralogy and geology, and it is bare justice to Mr. Davy 

 to state that his activity and intelligence in bringing to 

 notice the important facts of the natural history of Great 

 Britain and Ireland, with the aid of the managers to make 

 his assays keep pace with his discoveries, will ensure 

 much credit to the Royal Institution and great benefit to 

 the public. 



We are still of opinion that, when the importance of a 

 general collection and of a laboratory of assay in constant 

 activity is felt as it ought to be, the influence of the 

 Royal Institution will not be exerted in vain. The plan, 

 which the managers have limited to the present scale of 

 their building and to the funds of their Institution, has 

 obtained general approbation. Its success will give a bias 

 to public opinion favourable to the progress of mineralogy 

 and chemistry, and enable the managers at a future time 

 to extend their buildings, establishments, and plan to the 

 scale which unsuccessfully we ventured to suggest to be 

 better proportioned to their importance. 



The original proposal was too scientific and not 

 sufficiently fashionable to agree with the management 

 of Mr. Bernard at this time. 



