7114 Local Museums. 



sufficient definition, anrl in the cases where an exact plan of operations 

 is formed at the outset the functions of the museum are generally far 

 too extended. County and district museums, it appears to me, should 

 be rigidly limited to such objects as are found within the district, 

 bearing in mind that your collection should be accumulated for the 

 purpose of representing its Natural History and antiquities, also its 

 manufactures if you wish it. 



In many things the utility of an object is dependent on its absolute 

 completeness, no measure of perfection carrying with it a corresponding 

 measure of usefulness. This is especially true with respect to col- 

 lections of objects illustrative of the Natural History of a district, and 

 presents itself to me as a reason for limiting the scope of our museums 

 to such dimensions as will render this state of completeness within 

 the range of practical attainment. 



There is too great a tendency in our local museums to bring together 

 all kinds of objects, the miscellaneous character of which renders it 

 utterly impossible for them to be arranged so as to illustrate any par- 

 ticular subject ; and in addition to this negative utility their presence 

 in a local museum absolutely falsifies the collection as an index to the 

 Natural History and antiquities of a district. We have splendid 

 national collections of comprehensive completeness, and what I would 

 avoid in our local collections is the making of" British Museums" on 

 a small scale all over the kingdom. I would not wish to limit too 

 closely the subjects to be included, only that they should be of local 

 interest and represent something. In many cases your county museums 

 would consist solely of objects of Natural History and antiquities, 

 whilst in some districts the collections might be profitably extended 

 to the illustration of local arts and manufactures. I think it will be 

 generally found that no provincial district has the means of procuring 

 materials to form a collection of objects foreign to the locality of suffi- 

 cient completeness to be either useful or interesting. 



One of the causes of this miscellaneous collecting of specimens is 

 the endeavour to make the museums look pretty and attractive. From 

 the character of Natural History and antiquarian specimens this is but 

 very partially attainable or desirable, as few of the objects are in them- 

 selves ornamental, and those who would be attracted merely by the 

 pleasing aspect of a museum are scarcely worth enlisting as sup- 

 porters. 



Committees of management would doubtless often be perplexed in 

 this discriminate selection of materials. It is difficult to refuse a 

 proffered donation, and very unpalatable to be told your gift is unac- 



