NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



LOUVAIN 



Bnt a little while ago, the civilized world was horrified at 

 the destruction of the wonderful library at Louvain. It was 

 felt that such disrespect for a centre of learning could hardly 

 exist, even in the breast of the Hun. But it did — and a world- 

 famed library was pillaged and burnt, treasures gathered to- 

 gether during the lives of many eminent scholars, for the 

 enlightenment of humanity, being lost for ever. Few expressed 

 themselves more frankly than the British, and a movement 

 was soon afoot in this country to endeavour to repair this 

 damage, in some small way, by collecting rare books and 

 MSS., to be sent to Louvain when it is safe to do so. And we 

 thanked Heaven we were British, and joined the world in 

 cursing the Hun. 



AND LONDON. 



And then, but a few days ago, we found, in our greatest 

 city, in the centre of English wealth and learning, an attempt, 

 nay, more than an attempt, to take over the British Museum in 

 Bloomsbury, in order to accommodate the rabbit -like increasing 

 quantities of males and females employed by the Air Board ; 

 and also to take over the Natural History Museum, at South 

 Kensington, for the accommodation of clerks employed in con- 

 nection with insurance. These steps, we understand, were 

 taken by the Office of Works, as represented by Sir Alfred 

 Mond — presumably an Englishman, son of Sir Eudwig 

 Mond — also presumably an Englishman, though had we not 

 known this, we might have assumed that such an action 

 had emanated from the brain of a Hun. 



THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



The treasures in the British Museum are vested in the 

 charge of Trustees, who are directly responsible to Parliament. 

 As Trustees, they have absolute say and power in matters 

 of this sort. Yet they were not even consulted, and without 

 attempting to ask their opinion, steps were taken to close 

 these national institutions, remove their contents, and trans- 

 form the buildings into offices. This by an Englishman, in 

 England, in the twentieth century ! 



IGNORANCE. 



Such action surely reflects small credit upon the powers 

 that be as to their knowledge of the museum and its work. 

 In the first place, the museum — and particularly the Natural 

 History Section — has been of incalculable service in connexion 

 with the war in many ways. This aspect of the museum's 

 work, at least, should appeal to those supposed to be interested 



1918 Feb. 1. 



JUN^4 1920 



