ACCOUNTS, &,C., OF THE BRITISH MUSEl-'M. 15 



Department of Manuscripts, 



1. Catalogue of Romances. — The preparation of the second volume has been continued, 

 Romances, Tales, and Collections of Fables contained in various MSS. have been de- 

 scribed. 



2. Catalogue of Spanish Maiiuscripta. — The fourth volume, which will inchidc the 

 Index, is in progress. 



3. Catalofjue of Additions. — Sheets A — P. of the printed Catalogue of Additions for the 

 years 1882-1887 have been passed through the press. The /\dditional MSS. ^2,645- 32.657, 

 32,678-33,227, and Egerton MSS. 2,646-2,651, acquired in the year 1886, and Addi- 

 tional MSS. 33,228-33,319, acquired in the year 1887, have been described. The 

 descriptions of Additional MSS. acquired in the years 1886, 1887, have been sent to 

 press. 



The acquisitions of the year have been entered in the registers. 



4. Indnxes, — An Index to English Poetry in the various collections is in course of pre- 

 paration. 



The Index of English Theological Treatises down to the end of the 16th centurj' has 

 been completed. 



The names of writers in the Newcastle and Pelham Correspondence (Additional MS."^. 

 32,686-32,992, 33,028-33,032, 33,049, 33,050, 33,064-33,078,33,084-33,090, 33,100- 

 33,112) have been indexed. 



The Index to the descriptions for the years 1886 and 1887 is in progress. 



5. Catalogues of Cliartcrs, Rolls, and Seals. — The revision of the General Index of 

 names and subjects to the several collections of Charters and Rolls has been continued. 

 The work is now approaching completion. 



Additional Charters and Rolls 28,657-32,899, acquired in 1887, have been arranged 

 and numbered. Short descriptions of JNos. 27,005-28,637 have been prepared. 



The first volume of the Catalogue of Seals has been issued. The preparation of the 

 fair copy for the second volume has been continued ; and Sheets B — M have been passed 

 throiigh the press. 



Six detached seals, and sixty-two casts of seals, have been arranged and registered, 

 and references or descriptions have been distributed through the Catalogue. 



6. Arrangement of Papers. — The further papers of the Duke of Newcastle and family 

 of Pelliam, presented by tlie Earl of Chichester, have been arranged or incorporated. 

 The Hamilton State Papers, ^M. MSS. 32,646-32,657, the Hanover State Papers, 

 Stowe MSS. 388. I.-XI., the Ellacombe Papers, Add. MSS. 33,202-33,206, and Madden's 

 Hampshire Collections, Add. MSS. 33,278-33,285, have been arranged. 



7. Binding. — One hundred and fifty-four Manuscripts, recently acquired, and one 

 hundred and thirty-thi-ee Manuscripts of the old collections, have been bound or repaired. 

 Nine Manuscripts of the Stowe Collection have been bound. 



Forty Papyri have been glazed. 



Twenty Charters and Seals have been repaired. 



Eighteen Catalogues and Registers, and seventy-one books of reference, have been 

 bound or repaired. 



8. Verijiciition. — The several collections have been verified by the shelf lists. 



9. 31iscellaneovs.— Fi\e hundred and thirty- eight Manuscripts have been placed and 

 entered in tlie hand and shelf lists. 



Six hundred and three Charters and Rolls, and sixty-eight neAV Seals, have been 

 numbered and placed. 



The Register of Binding has been entered up for the year. 



Thirteen hundred and forty-nine Manuscripts, Charters, Rolls, and Printed Books, 

 have been stamped, with a total of 6,900 impressions. 



Seven hundred and seventeen Manuscripts have been foiio'd. 



The number of Manuscripts delivered in the Reading Room is 14,699 ; and of those 

 consulted in the Department, 14,230. 



The number of Charters, Rolls, and Seals delivered to readers is 784, 



The number of Students working in the Department during the year is 5,749. 



299. B 4 The 



