36 MODERN MUSEUMS 



he is to be a success in his vocation, possess various moral 

 qualifications not found in every professional man punctuality, 

 habits of business, conciliatory manners, and, above all, indomit- 

 able and conscientious industry in the discharge of the small 

 and somewhat monotonous routine duties which constitute so 

 large a part of a curator's life. Such being the requirements 

 of the profession, let us see what are the inducements offered 

 to men to take it up as a means of livelihood. I really am 

 sorry to have to speak of such a sordid subject, but I know it 

 is one you naturally shrink from talking of yourselves. You 

 would be the last people in the world to take the remedy, now 

 so often resorted to by other classes, into your own hands. 

 A strike of curators is hardly to be contemplated. Eemember, 

 also, that I am not speaking of this subject in your interest, 

 or the interests of any individuals. Whether any of you 

 personally should have your emoluments, your social position, 

 your opportunities for good, improved, is not now with me an 

 object of concern : it is in the interest of that great question, 

 the advance of the museum as a means of educating, cultivat- 

 ing, and elevating mankind, that I am speaking an advance 

 that can only be effectively made when the curatorship of a 

 museum is looked upon as an honourable and desirable pro- 

 fession for men of high intellectual acquirements. 



Let me take a few examples of the inducements to enter 

 this profession at the present time. I have before me some 

 recent advertisements. The curator of the Museum of the 

 Philosophical and Literary Society of one of the largest and 

 most nourishing of our manufacturing cities is offered 125 

 a year for his services. In another town, smaller and less 

 wealthy, it is true, " a resident curator, meteorological observer, 

 and caretaker, is wanted for the museum and library buildings, 

 at a salary of 50 per annum, with rooms, coal, and gas. 

 Applicants are to state age and scientific qualifications." 



In a recent newspaper discussion upon the establishment 

 of a museum in one of the midland counties, after it had been 

 pointed out that one of the prime necessities of such an 

 institution was a provision for the maintenance of a curator, 

 a leading gentleman of the district, a zealous and sympathetic 

 advocate of the cause, perfectly acquiescing in this view, 



