36 



NATURE 



\Nov. 9, 1 87 1 



if the presiding local genius had set his wits to work in order 

 to prove how much time and money might be most effectually 

 expended with the least profit to a knowledge of the natural 

 history, or any histoiy, of the neighbourhood ; and indeed for 

 exemplifications of the solution of this ]<notty point we have too 

 common! V only to ai peal to thi* museum of he place. Instead 

 of methodical illus'ratioTis of the natural history and antiquities 

 ot tfie district, we are likely to find a few good things overlaid 

 by such a rabble-rout, such a multifarious a-id disorderly medley 

 of outlandish and queer odds and ends, as are rather fitted for a 

 ■aughing-stock than a sober exposition of science. Thus we are 

 met at once in the hall and saloons by such incongruous lots as 

 effigii-sofdouMe women, elephants' teeth, nose-rings, brain-st^mes, 

 tomahawk.s, stuffed alligators, moccasins. New Ze danders' heals, 

 cockatoos, canoes, Babylonish brick*, cocoa nuts, boas, javelins, 

 lions and tigers, calumets, matchh.'cks, palm-branches, shielils, 

 monkey- stones, sugar-canes, Roman cement, Oliver Cromwell's 

 watches, Panama hats, fabricated elephants, walking-stick insects, 

 and numberless other eccentric things of this motley and con- 

 founded order. The garniiure of Romeo's apothecary's shop, or 

 the countryman's museum on the barn door, would be more in- 

 structive or intelligible and less ridiculous or perplexing. 



It might be painful or appear invidious to inquire minutely by 

 what means or under whose misconduct so many provincial 

 museums have sunk into their present disgraceful confusion and 

 uselessness ; especially as it is httle creditable to the intflligerce 

 of that community under the tolerance or approval of which tliis 

 reproachful state of things exists. If tlie fault 'oe attributed to 

 the apathy or something worse among the majority of the rate- 

 payers, it is one that the friends of popular government should 

 hasten to correct. However this may be, it i-; enough for us to 

 know that this notorious evil has increased, is increasing, and 

 ought to be diminished ; it will otherwise remain a foul blot on 

 and a costly nuisance to the places under such unprofitable in- 

 fliction. Hence every naturali-t and antiquarian, every intelli- 

 gent and honest member of the community, should be ready to 

 lend his hand cordially to the good work of reform in this direc- 

 tion ; more especially as soon as the truth is realised that the 

 difhculiy is by no means insuperable, but maybe easily removed, 

 is a consummation devoutly to be wished, and would involve no 

 addition to the customary and regular expense. The remedies 

 are sufficiently obvious, and to point out how they should be 

 used, after having described the disorder and the necessity for 

 them, is the object of the present observations. To this end we 

 have in the first place to consider what is desirable and practi- 

 cable. To instruct ourselves and the rising generation, by means 

 of local museums, in the elemenis cif natural history generally, 

 and in the local examples of it particularly, is obviously Ijoth 

 practicable and desirable. For the first purpose, when indi- 

 genous specimens are wanting we must get exotic cncs ; and 

 these should be limited to such typical examp'es only as are 

 absolutely necessary for the elucidation of fundamental or com- 

 prehensive facts ; for which purpose anatomical preparations, 

 whether botanical or zoological, are chiefly, but not exclusively, 

 to be esteemed. On the other hand, all and every species 

 belonging to the district should be pre-erved and displayed so far 

 as they admit it ; partly for the knowledge they display of tfie 

 science, but principally for the intormation they afford of the 

 natural his'ory of the locality. Antiquarian objects should be 

 treate . in a similar spirit. Thus would be collected at 01. e view, 

 or at least under one roof, much of that important knowledge 

 which is within the means and scope of any country museum, so 

 that every visitor to it might easily find therein both pleasure and 

 profit in natural science in generd and in the natural features of 

 the locality in particular. The museum would then also be in a 

 condition to fulfil one of its leading offices, as a centre for the 

 meetings, lectures, and conversations on the natural history and 

 antiquities of the district, and in this mode be available for con- 

 tributions in furtherance of the special objects of local societies, 

 and likely thus to add to the general stock of knowledge. And 

 happily, this is now being regula>ly vemilated and popularised 

 in such useful publicAtions as the Zoologii/, the I-u-liJ, and Lund 

 and IVatcr. 'When will the Times discover the fair and fertile 

 field of instruction in the Provincial Museums, now lyinj waste 

 for want of culture? Nature, in a recent notice of certain 

 donations to the Ludlow Museum, has shuwn a judicioua sense 

 of I lie subject. 



But how are you to get the desirable specimens, and what are 

 you to do with them ? Most of those wildernesses miscalled 

 Museums already possess a large quantity of objects only awaiting 



and inviting intelligent attention. This will consist in a careful 

 preparation, display, and description of them. After having been 

 separately grouped under their respective kingdoms — the minera', 

 vegetable, and animal — they must be arranged according to the 

 me h 'd of their natural relations, in their respective classes, 

 orders, families, genera, and specie-^ ; then accurat'-ly numbered, 

 ticketed, and catalogued. Thus the otherwise chaotic mass of 

 particular facts will fall into an orderly method, and be always 

 ready to convey an accurate knowledge to visitors. Still further 

 illustrations will be requisite, especially as regards fundamental 

 and comprehensive phenomena, by preparations to display the 

 essential characters at least of the classes and orders, and of 

 the anatomy and physiology of the members thereof; and one 

 or two careful dissections will be commonly sufficient for Ihii 

 tiurpose in each oriler. And now ■A'iU arise the question. Who 

 is to do all this work ? Certainly neither by nor under the direction 

 of " inco'porations " of aldermen quite incapable of it can we 

 expect any effectual labour of the kind. But with proper encourage- 

 ment sudents of the different departments will, from a pure love of 

 the subjects, not only be found to perform all this but probably 

 more, and without the least expectation of any pecuniary le- 

 ward. They will surely add important preparations and other 

 objects to the collection, whenever it becomes manifest that 

 such contributions will be duly appreciated and cared for ; in- 

 deed, with regard to at least one Museum very zealous and 

 skilful naturalists have only been prevented from giving such 

 desiralile aid by a knowledge that their work would simply be 

 " missing," smothered, or destroyed, amid the carelessness and 

 the maze of misplaced rubbish there undergoing a like fate, 

 and most significantly and effectually warning them, and others 

 like them, what they have to expect. Fortunately minerals and 

 antiquities are commonly less perishable. 



Having discussed what is desirable and practicable, we come 

 to that which is neither one nor the other. And having some- 

 what irreverently adverted to the rubbish of so many Provincial 

 Museums, a further explanation may be necessary, and the more 

 so as this ver^' accumulation of jumblfd and usel-ss materials is 

 the sad bete noire of these collections, and so vigilantly intrusive 

 as to force admission and predominance against all reasons of 

 fi ness or utility. Any disorderly materiils when hurtful by 

 being out of place fall into the character of rubbish, just as any 

 plant is a weed when encroaching injuriously on the legitimate 

 crop. In their proper place they may be very valuable ; such 

 they might be in the great general collection of the British 

 Museum, or in a botanical garden. But nobody ia his senses 

 can suppose that it is either desirable or practicable for a pro- 

 vincial society to attempt an imitation of the vast and boundless 

 metropolitan institution. This would be simply out of the 

 question, and calculated only to provoke a smile, except perad- 

 venture among the guardians of the local museums. Indeed, 

 with all the excellent arrangement, the army of properly paid 

 experts, and immense space and appliances, the British Museum 

 has become so crowded and unwieldy, especially for refeience 

 and use concerning British products, that some steps for an extri- 

 cation of them from the surrounding masses of exotic things has 

 become necessary. But the guardians of the Provincial Museum 

 will reasonably ask. Granting that we have so much rubbish, what 

 are we to do with it ? Sell it if you can, or give it away ; but by 

 all means get rid of it, and that swiftly ; to which end a bonfire 

 might be the best thing. And having thus learned by experirnce 

 t^-e noxiousness of such rubbish, most resolutely and remorselessly 

 refuse any quarter to it in future. At present this sort of lumber 

 emiy occupies space and involves exp-nse that might and ought 

 to be employed for more useful and legitimate purposes ; and 

 how and why has already been mentioned. At the execution of 

 the sentence many a wailing throe will out, some natural tears be 

 shed, for the o'erfraught heart will speak. Fhe very civil and 

 complacent local genius will meekly plead for his idols, telling 

 you how he loves them, and how some other equally wise and 

 more potent individuals hold the same faith ; and above all that 

 the visitors to his temple have ever regarded all those very things 

 with an admiration and delight amounting to veneration. He 

 will refuse to be comforted by your assurance that what he says 

 is no doubt very true, though Punch and Judy and Madame 

 Tussaud may be almost as delightful if not quite as good in 

 their way ; but that your way is to show how the Provincial 

 Museum may be made not to suppress or degrade but to deve- 

 lope and elevate the taste of tfie multitude ; and that after 

 all a good museum will sooner or later become more popular 

 than a bad one. 



