THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. lOI 



Passing over (for time will not permit) the slight indications 

 left of the existence of collections at all resembling our modern mu- 

 seums among the ancients, we find with the revival of learning in 

 the middle ages, the collecting instinct inborn in so many persons of 

 various nations and periods, but so long in abeyance, spring into 

 existence with considerable vigor, and a museum, meaning at that 

 time a collection of miscellaneous objects as well as natural curiosi- 

 ties, often associated with a gallery of sculpture and painting, be- 

 came a fashionable appendage to the establishment of many wealthy 

 persons of superior culture. As far as I can ascertain, all the ear- 

 liest collections comparable to what we call museums were formed 

 by and maintained at the expense of private individuals — sometimes 

 physicians, whose studies led them to a taste for biological science. 



I find also that great merchant princes, whose trading connec- 

 tions afforded opportunities for bringing together things that were 

 considered curious from foreign lands, made collections called mu- 

 seums. Sometimes ruling monarchs, in their private capacity, had 

 tastes running in that direction. In every case, however, these col- 

 lections were maintained mainly for the gratification of the possessor 

 or his personal friends, and rarely, if ever, associated with any sys- 

 tematic teaching or public benefit. In England, the earliest im- 

 portant collectors of miscellaneous objects were the two John Trade- 

 scants, father and son, the latter of whom published in 1656 a little 

 work called " Museum Tradescantianum, or, a collection of Rarities 

 preserved at South Lambeth, near London." I once saw a copy of 

 this work, and the wonderful variety, and in many instances incon- 

 gruous juxta position, of the objects contained in that collection, 

 made it very amusing reading. 



Upon the association of individuals together into societies to 

 promote the advancement of knowledge, these bodies, in their cor- 

 porate capacity, frequently made the formation of a museum part of 

 their function. The earliest instance of this, I suppose, must have 

 been the Royal Society, who had a museum in Crown Court, Lon- 

 don, as early as the latter part of the 17th century. 



But however interesting it might be to pursue this historical 

 part of the rise of the museum, to keep this paper within due bounds, 

 and have time for discussion at the close, I must content myself 

 with the two instances named. 



