192 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. X 



This work led to his taking a lively interest in the 

 organisation of museums in general, whether private, 

 such as Sir Philip Egerton's, 1 which he visited in 

 1856 ; local, such as Warwick or Chester; or central, 

 such as the British Museum or that at Manchester. 



With regard to the British Museum, the question 

 had arisen of removing the Natural History collections 

 from the confined space and dusty surroundings of 

 Great Russell Street. A first memorial on the sub- 

 ject had been signed, not only by many non-scientific 

 persons, but also by a number of botanists who wished 

 to see the British Museum Herbarium, etc., combined 

 with the more accessible and more complete collec- 

 tions at Kew. Owing apparently to official opposition, 

 the Natural History sub -committee of the British 

 Museum Trustees advised a treatment of the Botanical 

 Department which commended itself to none of the 

 leading botanists. Consequently a number of botan- 

 ists and zoologists took counsel together and drew 

 up a fresh memorial from the strictly scientific point 

 of view. Huxley and Hooker took an active part in 

 the agitation. " It is no use," writes the former to 

 his friend, "putting any faith in the old buffers, 

 hardened as they are in trespasses and sin." And 

 again : 



I see nothing for it but for you and I to constitute 

 ourselves into a permanent " Committee of Public Safety," 



1 Sir Philip de Malpas Grey Egerton, 1806-1881. His collec- 

 tion of fossil fishes was acquired for the Natural History Museum, 

 South Kensington. 



