84 Notes and Comments. 
houses and closed our national museums? In the record of 
our struggle, full of single-hearted labour and of splendid 
tragedy, it may be counted among our lesser mistakes, but all 
the same it will bea fact for those that follow us to wonder over.” 
WHAT THE ENEMY THINKS: 
But the unkindest cut of all comes from The Cologne 
Gazette, under an article headed ‘ The Closed English Museums.” 
It is there stated :—‘ In the land of the barbarians, who in 
other respects are more ready to submit to restrictions in their 
way of living than the island people which has been so spoilt 
by fortune, it is regarded as an entire mistake to practise: 
economy which blocks up important sources of education and 
pure enjoyment without saving really considerable sums. 
Of course, it must be remembered that many Londoners who 
consider themselves educated, visit the British Museum once 
in their lives out of a sense of duty, and then never visit it 
again. We knew a London lawyer in a distinguished social 
position who had never crossed the threshold of the museum, 
and was proud of the fact.’ 
THE MUSEUMS ASSOCIATION. 
. A few days ago the present writer had the honour and’ 
privilege of taking part in a deputation, which was personally 
received by the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street. This 
was in response to the following appeal addressed ‘ To the 
Right Hon. H. H. Asquith, K.C., M.P.’ :—On behalf of the 
Museums Association, a society including in its membership 
the leading museums and art galleries in the United Kingdom, 
the Colonies, France, and America, we desire to lodge a protest 
against the closing of national museums and art galleries by the 
Government and to ask that the whole matter be reconsidered. 
Those in charge of provincial institutions are in a position 
to realise with especial clearness the great growth in public 
use and appreciation of museums and art galleries during recent 
years, and we feel very strongly that in times like the present 
anything which tends to promote rational public relaxation 
should not be the subject of retrenchment without weighty 
_and sufficient reasons. Museum, officials yield to none in the 
matter of patriotism and in their desire for the successful prose- 
cution of the war, but we respectfuly submit that none of the 
arguments advanced in favour of the proposed closing by 
members of the Government indicate the attainment of ad- 
vantages in any degree commensurate with the loss to the 
public, to students, to the cause of education, and to the in- 
stitutions themselves. The Museums Association respectfully 
requests you to receive a deputation with the object of demon- 
strating the great and increasing part museums and art galleries 
Naturalist. 
