36 THE FORMATION OF LOCAL MUSEUMS. 



his own line of investigation. One adjective ought to be 

 applicable to all you do, and that one is " systematic." Take 

 up something, or some part of something, and stick to it till 

 you have done vv'ith it. Don't try to be complete Naturalists 

 all at once ; but take one the ferns, one the grasses, one the 

 snails, or what not, and get that done first. Collect your speci- 

 mens and learn all you can about them ; label and arrange 

 them and put them in the museum, when we have got it. 



Moreover, Natural History Society as we are, it does not 

 do to be too rapid. I would not exclude from the museum a 

 series of photographs or sketches of local objects of interest 

 in other lines of study. Churches, Castles, Ruins, Scenery, all 

 deserve a place, and in time all ought to find it ; while the 

 Pier, the Harbour, the Steam-boats, offer attractions to those 

 whose hands are skilful at woodwork, and to whom the 

 prospect of adorning the Museum of this town, might just 

 give the inducements necessary to lead them to put their 

 theoretical skill into practical working. 



Of the library I need say nothing. The advantages to an 

 institution, snch as I have attempted to describe, of the 

 possession of a library of reference, consisting of works on 

 Natural History generally, English Natural History especially, 

 and of all both of local interest, whether antiquarian, statistical 

 or scientific, need no explanation of mine. Many of us 

 probably have works of one sort or other that we should be 

 happy to give to such a library, and others would, I am sure, 

 come in when once the library was in good working order. 



In conclusion I will only say that I should like to see our 

 society and our museum among the best of the kind in 

 England. But neither can exist as an abstraction ; an ab- 

 stract society, or an abstract museum would be of little 

 service unless to the brains of a metaphysician, apart from the 

 concrete individuals comprising the one, and the concrete 

 specimens contained in the other ; and if we individuals will 

 set to work to collect the specimens, this museum will soon 

 cease to be an abstraction, and will have a real existence, and 

 the Folkestone Natural History Society will make a name for 

 itself and a reputation which, depend upon it, will extend be- 

 yond Folkestone. At all events if the thing comes to grief, 

 do not let us allow it to be the fault of the original promoter. 



C. L. ACLAND, 



