ADDRESS. 



13 



more desirous we are to fill up the gaps -which provokiugly interfere with 

 our extracting from them the complete story they have to tell. 



Such collections are, however, only for the advanced student, the man 

 who has already become acquainted with the elements of his science and 

 is in a position, by his knowledge, by his training, and by his observing 

 and reasoning capacity, to take advantage of such material to carry on 

 the subject to a point beyond that at which he takes it up. 



But there is another and a far larger class to whom museums are or 

 should be a powerful means of aid in acquiring knowledge. Among such 

 those who are commencing more serious studies may be included ; but I 

 especially refer to the much more numerous class, and one which it may 

 be hoped will year by year bear a gi'eater relative proportion to the 

 general population of the country, who, without having the time, the 

 opportunities, or the abilities to make a profound study of any branch of 

 science, yet take a general interest in its progress, and wish to possess 

 some knowledge of the world around them and of the principal facts 

 ascertained with regard to it, or at least some portions of it. For such 

 persons museums may be, when well organised and arranged, of benefit 

 to a degree that at present can scarcely be realised. 



To diffuse knowledge among persons of this class is the second of the 

 two purposes of museums of which I have spoken. 



I believe that the main cause of what may be fairly termed the failure 

 of the majority of museums — especially museums of natui-al history — to 

 perform the functions that might be legitimately expected of them is that 

 they nearly always confound together the two distinct objects which they 

 may fulfil, and by attempting to combine both in the same exhibition 

 practically accomplish neither. 



In accordance with which of those two objects, which may be briefly 

 called research and instruction, is the main end of the museum, so should 

 the whole be primarily arranged ; and in accordance with the object for 

 which each specimen is required, so should it be treated. 



The specimens kept for research, for advancement of knowledge, for 

 careful investigations in structure and development, or for showing the 

 minute distinctions which must be studied in working out the problems 

 connected with variations of species according to age, sex, season, or 

 locality ; for fixing the limits of geographical distribution, or determining 

 the range in geological time, must be not only exceedingly numerous (so 

 numerous, indeed, that it is almost impossible to put a limit on what 

 may be required for such purposes J, but they must also be kept under 

 such conditions as to admit of ready and close examination and com- 

 parison. 



If the whole of the specimens really required for enlarging the boun- 

 daries of zoological or botanical science were to be displayed in such a 

 manner that each one could be distinctly seen by any visitor sauntering 

 through the public galleries of a museum, the vastness and expense of the 



