.28 HE ORGANIZES AN INDUSTRIAL MUSEUM. 



manufactures from all parts of the world, samples of artistic 

 industry, and a picture gallery ; lectures were delivered on 

 various subjects within the range of practical science, and 

 Robert Boyle laboured most assiduously, almost always con- 

 structing his own apparatus for the effective demonstration 

 of his lectures. The museum was located in the large block 

 of buildings at the juncture of Trongate and Brunswick 

 streets. The energetic promoter spared neither toil nor 

 money to collect instructive objects for exhibition, and it is 

 believed that he expended a very large sum of money on the 

 undertaking. Notwithstanding every effort, however, to 

 make it a permanent success, the museum had to be closed 

 .at the expiration of three years. The industrial classes were 

 not sufficiently impressed at that time with the need of 

 intellectual culture; they could not be raised from the 

 apathy of gross ignorance ; education had not been doing its 

 work as a national system, and the number of supporters 

 were consequently insufficient to maintain such an institu- 

 tion. During all this time Kobert Boyle was vigorously 

 carrying on the work of practical instruction in other parts 

 of Glasgow and the neighbourhood, notably at the City 

 Hall, where he frequently lectured to large audiences on 

 electricity, chemistry, natural philosophy, astronomy, 

 etc. The lectures on astronomy were illustrated by a large 

 orrery, which he made himself, and which was a wonderful 



