On the Educational Uses of Museums. 347 
its kind, not merely to those who are already men of science, his- 
torians, or connoisseurs, but equally to those who as yet ignorant 
desire to learn, or in whom it is desirable that a thirst for learning 
should be incited. Unfortunately museums and public collections 
of all kinds are too often regarded by their curators in their scien- 
tific aspect only,—as subservient to the advancement of knowl- 
edge through the medium of men of science or learning, and 
consequently as principally intended for the use of very few per- 
sons 
uses, and in the end of national consequence, since the surest 
measure of national advancement is the increase and diffusion of 
scientific and literary pursuits of a high grade. One of the signs 
of a spread of sound knowledge and intellectual tastes in a coun- 
try is the abundant production of purely monographic works by ° 
its philosophers, and the evidence of their appreciation by the 
general mass of readers, as indicated by the facility with which 
they find publishers. 
Very few museums present much of an industrial aspect, valu- 
able, interesting, and popular as any arrangement or display of 
their contents under this point of view must evidently be. 
noble invention of the Great Exhibition, a glory to the end of 
time around the name of one of the most enlightened princes, 
proved to all men the high and national interest inherent in in- 
dustrial collections. It is indeed strange that amongst a people 
80 essentially industrial in their habits, occupations, and modes of 
thought as the Euglish nation, no great and comprehensive col- 
lections illustrative of their agriculture, manufactures, machinery, 
and sources of trade should have been formed long ago. ‘This 
defect in our institutions is, however, rapidly in the course of 
being removed ; and I need not dwell upon the value of a kind 
_ of museum, of which all sensible men now understand the im- 
portance, 
It has long been a subject of discussion, in what manner and 
to what extent can instruction by means of lectures and public 
teaching be advantageously associated with public collections. 
There are those who are opposed to such a course, holding that 
Museums should stand on their own exclusive merits, and be 
mainly places of personal study and consultation. This, how- 
€ver, is the contemplation of them under their scientific aspec 
only ; and though it may fairly be maintained, that a great cen- 
tral collection, such as the British Museum, may be | 1 
Serviceable by this course of action, holding that magnificent 
establishment as a general index for science, and, as it were, En- 
Cyclopedia of reference,—I feel convinced, after a long and earnest 
Consideration of the question for many years, that unless connected 
With systems of public teaching, museums in most instances are - 
