66 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. VIII. No. 185. 



partment of Zoology such ' Study Series ' 

 have reached surprising dimensions. Tliese 

 series are strikingly accumulated in the 

 British Museum, and their important bear- 

 ing upon the scientific welfare of the 

 Museum was expressed by Professor Flower 

 in these words. He says the Study Series 

 " contains all those exceedingly numerous 

 specimens (in many groups, the great bulk 

 of the collection) showing the minute dis- 

 tinctions which are required for working 

 out the problems of variation according to 

 age, sex, season and locality, for fixing the 

 limits of geographical distribution, or de- 

 termining the range in geological time. 

 It is this part of the collection that zoolo- 

 gists and botanists resort to, to compare and 

 name the animals and plants collected in 

 expeditions sent to explore unknown lands ; 

 to work out biological problems of the 

 highest scientific importance, and generally 

 to advance the knowledge of the science. 

 In fact, these reserve collections, occupying 

 comparatively little room, kept up on com- 

 paratively little cost and visited by com- 

 paratively few persons, constitute, from a 

 scientific point of view, the most important 

 part of the Museum, for by their means new 

 knowledge is obtained, which, given forth 

 to the world in the form of memoirs, books 

 or lectures, is ultimately di0"used over a far 

 wider area than that influenced even bj' the 

 exhibited portions of the Museum. Indeed, 

 without the means they afford, the order, 

 arrangement and power of imparting knowl- 

 edge which the galleries possess would not 

 be possible." 



With such a compressed summary of the 

 salient features of this Museum, which it is 

 hoped will yearly grow more consummately 

 into the best expression of a museum of 

 natural history, I ask your forbearance, 

 though in asking it I am merely anticipa- 

 ting your natural wishes, in considering how 

 practically helpful this institution is in 

 raising the popular standard of thought or 



desire. My own views on this question are 

 very simple and emphatic. There are very 

 unnecessary exaggerations of the influence 

 of a museum. Upon some people it simply 

 produces surprise. Its size, the diversity 

 of its contents and the unintelligible nature 

 of its labels produce in them a confusing 

 consternation, consternation in which are 

 discernible some self-reproaches for neglect 

 of their own culture, considerable astonish- 

 ment at that of others, and a pervading 

 atmosphere of wonder as to ' how much 

 money do you suppose it's worth.' Now 

 this class is numerically large. It includes 

 young, middle-aged and old, and while, of 

 course, upon them, in ratio to their pecu- 

 liarities of mind and disposition, the survey 

 of well-arranged collections must leave 

 wholesome, pleasurable and, perhaps, in- 

 structive impressions, the sum-total of all 

 of their impressions will never materially 

 change one way or another the intelligence 

 of a community. A museum, or the direc- 

 tors of a museum, must indeed remember 

 that it is a place essentially of recreation for 

 the great majority. This recreation is far 

 from unimportant. It is remedial, sanitary 

 and of moral efficacy. But I can scarcely 

 believe that it especially instructs. It 

 opens people's eyes, gives them an increased 

 respect for knowledge, and probably 

 amongst parents fortifles their intention to 

 give their children all the education they 

 can aiford to give them. I do think they 

 derive certain emancipating ideas about 

 time and creation, and are made probably 

 a little more receptive of progressive 

 thought. I allude, of course, only to 

 scientific museums. The recreation ob- 

 tained in art museums is more valuable to 

 this class than that secured in the museum 

 of natural history. The material of the 

 art museum appeals more obviously to the 

 eye, thence to the mind and thence to the 

 memory. It involves so many illusions to 

 taste, reading, association and experience. 



